Page 14 - Robert Rowe News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

A fire inspector. robert, thank you for being here. 30 years. is that as stunning to you as it is to so many people watching or is that more common than we realize? >> it's quite a stretch on years but there were a lot of buildings that go uninspected for some time. based on the fact construction doesn't occur within buildings and permits aren't pulled for certain changes of the occupancy. so some cases may not be inspected by the building department for some time. >> tell me about what an inspection entails and how an inspection could or couldn't have prevented this? >> the first thing is the...

Single week when i was there. more than one time in a week. i called them three times in one week myself. there were several police there, derek, michael, i knew thome a first name basis. they were there on a regular basis. i called and explained everything when i was leaving. >> so, she brings up safety concerns. robert, we do know property records say this warehouse -- or the owner there had received notifications from the city, some violations of code, issues regarding hazardous debris and trash. your thoughts given what we just heard from this former resident? >> well, whenever you have a ...

So -- >> why would there have been so many people and victims in this fire? i know, like you said, we can't speculate. we have to let the investigation unfold. but your experience, as an investigator, the fact that so many people did not escape, does that raise any red flags to you? >> it does. number one, the first thing that comes to mind is use of the building. the use of the building, as i understand it, was a warehouse at one time, and still is. until there's an official change of use basically assigned to that building by the building department. they have to go in, examine this building...

Back in, they have been able to shore up and stabilize to the point they felt it was safe to go back in. now, our second challenge is the crane, the position of the crane and the telephone -- or the power lines. >> i want to bring in fire inspector robert rowe. so, crews are turning off the power, as we've just heard, in this area to make room for a large crane, robert. what does that tell you about the scene and some of the challenges investigators might be facing. >> well, with most fire scenes, it can be very dangerous, so, you have to take every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of...

>> pelley: good evening from the starting line of the race for the republican presidential nomination. we're in the library under the dome of the skate capital building in des moines. that dome soars 275 feet above ground and is covered with 23- carat gold. but more precious than gold to the republican presidential candidates tonight are votes and one day before the caucuses they were trying to win over the nearly half of voters who say they haven't settled on a candidate. the latest polling shows mitt romney in the lead with 24% followed by ron paul at 22%, rick santorum 15 and newt...