Yesterday, the editor of a local paper asked if I would write an article about overcrowding concerns. My list of links to health issues is fine, but I need some links to incidents where there were deaths or injuries as a result of overcrowding - such as the September 5 Chicago apartment fire where 6 children were killed.

What prompted this request was our situation in Herndon VA, along with comments made by our state delegate, who wrote a lovely little memorable account of his childhood days in Rural Virigina (40 years ago). He reflected on the large immigrant families that lived in the community and the critical role they played. His trip down memory lane was a prelude to bluring the line between illegal aliens and legal immigrants and trying to downplay the effect of overcrowding (rental cramming).

For my article to be credible, I want to be able to back up every bullet point with a news item link. This is where I need your help.

In our area, as I'm sure is similar to where you all live, single family homes are built out in basements with no egress. Many of these "build-outs" are not recorded in the tax records (the files used by fire & rescue) leaving people trapped in "unfinished" areas of a house to their own device.

If anyone can provide links where situations like this have been reported in your local or state newspapers, would you please pass them along.

Oh, the editor said my deadline is the 24th. Lucky for me, I work well under pressure.

Thanks all for any links you can forward.