Vehicles of Reagan Press Corps Burned
A suspicious fire outside a hotel housing White House staff and press corps Saturday destroyed two vehicles rented by reporters covering President Reagan’s visit to his ranch, officials said.
No injuries were reported in the predawn blaze outside the Santa Barbara Sheraton, about 30 miles south of the ranch. The President was at the ranch at the time.
Someone siphoned gasoline from a truck about 3:15 a.m. and allowed the fuel to run under a car rented by a Reuters wire service reporter and a pickup truck rented by a Detroit News reporter, fire official Pete Ramsdell said. Explosions that occurred when the fuel was set afire caused about $8,000 damage to the vehicles, he said.
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