tell you what to expect. but first the answer we've been waiting for about the tragic mansion fire that killed six people. >> sources tell news4 an electrical issue ignited a christmas tree and the fire then spread so fast the couple and their four grandchildren couldn't get out. >> that's right. we're going to learn more specifics any minute now. there's a news conference about to start in annapolis. we're going to stream it on our washington app. darcy spencer has been working her sources. she has preliminary information, right darcy? >> reporter: that's right, chris. they were set up here. the press conference will get under way here at the anne arundel fire department. we have been able to gather information. this appears to have been an electrical fire that eventually caught the christmas tree on fire. there was a problem with an outlet around the christmas tree. some combustibles ignited including the tree. i'm told this fire went up very, very quickly, described as umtltra

fast. there was no way that anyone could get out of this house alive. the tree was 15 feet high and it was very, very dry. we're told a lot of needles were found underneath as well as in the area that collects needles underneath the tree. it provided a big fuel load for this fire to spread. we're told that don pile's body was actually found in the great greatroom area. it was normal for him to sleep on the first floor. his wife sandy and the grandchildren were on the second floor of the home. it appears they all did die from smoke inhalation. again, we're continuing to gather new information. a press conference is scheduled any moment now including the anne arundel fire chief and executive. police credit witnesses who whipped out their cell phones for helping them track down a woman wanted in a parking lot

hit-and-run. alexandra menendez is charged with many charges. here's northern virginia bureau reporter david culver on columbia pike. >> reporter: mk auto is back open today but without its owner. the owner is in critical condition now. witnesses tell me he was run over not once but twice in the driveway of his own business. >> that's her. she hits him here. >> we got hold of this surveillance video from a neighbors business. it shows an suv pull in. an employee walks out to apparently tell the driver to leave the car in park. but watch. the reverse lights go on and the vehicle backs into two other suvs. now police tell us 39-year-old alexandra mendez was behind the wheel and they say she had a suspended license. vehicle leaves the frame, it hits an xterra.

but before heading to the exit, this man went to stop her. a man also tried to close the gate. but witnesses say the suv did not stop. emergency crews rushed him to the trauma center. >> he has a chest plate. he's got tubes coming out of his sides, tubes coming out of both sides of his face. he's missing skin off his face. he's in really bad shape. >> reporter: right now mendez is behind bars here in arlington without bond. coming up all new at 5:00, you'll hear from some of the employees here who share a little more about the victim who is right now fighting for his life. in arlington david culver news4. right now residents in several towns along the massachusetts coast are trying to bounce back from this week's powerful winter storm. several homes were damaged, but it wasn't so much the snow that's too blame. the storm whipped up strong waves and high winds. that punched a hole in a seawall

and dauzed caused flooding. >> the snowfall may be over, but travel is not back to normal. it has a lot of folks stuck for another day. more than 600 flights are preemptively canceled today. airports from new york to maipne are trying to clear their runways. amtrak is getting passengers from new york to boston for the first time since the storm hit. back here at home, it's another blustery day. >> and it might not be all that long before we see some snow of our own. let's go to veronica johnson. >> hey, chris, that's right. 24 hours away, just a day away, tomorrow this time we'll not only see some rain but some snow falling throughout parts of our area. here's what's going on. tomorrow p.m. rush, rain and snow mix. it starts around 4:00 p.m. temperatures, though will be above freezing. but as we get to the end of this system, the end time when it starts moving out, that's our best chance of seeing light accumulation.

i'm going to show you where those locations those neighborhoods are best locations for seeing the accumulation in a few minutes. here's where the storm system is now, right around areas of missouri. that's what will be moving this way very quickly. fast moving system, big story today the wind, the cold. the windchills right now anywhere from 20 to 31 degrees lower windchills tonight but at least the wind will settle. i'll give you the whole timing on what to expect with the wintry system in a few. right now we're taking you live to arlington where president obama is about to speak at the farewell seminary for chuck hagel. an early good-bye. hagel is expected to stay on the job for a few more weeks. a senate confirmation hearing for his presumed successor ashton carter is set for wednesday. first they've got to get through this matter of the attorney general. it's setting up to be senate republicans versus president obama. and the person in the middle could be the first

african-american woman in history to become attorney general. news4's steve handelsman on capitol hill. >> reporter: she stands around 5 feet tall but 55-year-old loretta lynch is seen by many as a legal giant. >> ultimately, i know we all share the same goal. >> reporter: as the top federal prosecutor in brooklyn, she went after corrupt politicians, cops who abuse citizens and won billions from wrongdoing banks. >> i'm impressed with your qualifications. >> she's tough, hardworking, independent. >> reporter: republicans hope so. they charge attorney general eric holder does the bidding of president obama. >> you're not eric holder, are you? >> no, i'm not, sir. if confirmed as attorney general i will be myself. i will be loretta lynch. >> reporter: but on immigration and the obama executive order enraging republicans -- >> this massive what i would consider in essence refusal to

enforce existing law -- >> reporter: -- lynch took the obama side. no deportations for millions and instead employment permits. >> i believe that the right and the obligation to work is one that's shared by everyone in this country regardless of how they came here and certainly if someone is here regardless of status i would prefer that they be participating in the workplace. >> reporter: but lynch promised in her work to foster new and improved relations with congress. and at this point loretta lynch looks like a sure bet to win senate confirmation as the next attorney general. there is new cooperation to help prevent crashes near a local airport. after a crash that killed six people. official was the maryland aviation administration told news4 they will support any proposal to reduce operations at the montgomery county air park in gaithersburg. the county executive and council are cutting back training

flights often flown by newer pilots. the air park is open 24/7. they're considering closing it overnight. there have been several crashes since 2007 around gaithersburg including a crash into a home killing a mother and two children back in december. it's a story that had so many of you reaching out to others on social media. a local father accused of taking his own baby and triggering an amber alert. now we're getting new details about what happened moments before the laemtded ak introduction. the first family is back in washington. many people are still talking about something they didn't do while they were abrought. first at 4, the surprising face that's coming to their defense.

take a look at this video, a 320-foot furnace a steel mill in maryland was imploded this afternoon. the steel mill is near dunn dock. it closed three years ago.

this furnace was the only thing left. it was demolished to make room for a new business development at that site. new details now about what happened moments before a maryland man allegedly abducted his 5-month-old daughter. it set off an amber alert we first reported yesterday evening. the suspect turned himself in last night and the child is back safely with her mother. according to police, dierra denny drove a rental car where he punched the baby's mother and threatened her with a gun. police say he grabbed the child and drove off with a car with no car seat. denny faces several felonyies. find a full list of the charges on our web site and our app. afamily is stunned after they saw a delivery driver in their driveway. this story doesn't end quite the way you would expect. >> mystery solve.d.

how a good deed started a conversation on social media.

technology has improved our lives, in small ways. in big ways. but what about this? couldn't this be better too? at redfin we asked ourselves the same question. which led us to create new ways to take you inside a home or instantly schedule a tour. but we paired that with our own agents who aren't paid on commission but on your happiness. and that's what makes it all work the world has changed and now real estate has too.

>> announcer: you're watching news4 at 4. you're looking at a live picture of the news conference going on in annapolis. they are talking about that mansion fire that killed a set of grandparents and four of their grandchildren. we have learned already that a christmas tree that had been up

for about 60 days had something to do with that fire. they found a tremendous amount of needles, dry needles there. we're going to get more information. darcy spencer is live on the scene listening to the news conference and working her sources. she'll have more. you can listen to this live on our web site or stream it on the washington.com app as well. the online debate is raging over this canceled super bowl ad. godaddy said it underestimated the emotional response viewers would have to a depiction of a puppy's sale on a web site. animal rights advocates including commenters on our facebook page says it -- others say they find the ad funny and previous ads they say have exploited women. still no word on the content of the ad godaddy plans to air on sunday. 41% of the americans think the patriots cheat nd the afc

championship game. public polyfound that 27% do not think the pats cheated while 32% say they're just not sure. meantime, in phoenix, let's get the party started. it's getting started at the super bowl. >> that's right. who's right there in the middle of it? jim handly looking very dapper in his short-sleeved t-shirt. how many times have people told you today how cold it is now and how lucky you are? >> reporter: you know, chris and pat this is my last day to wear short and short sleeves because rain is coming in tomorrow, friday and saturday, too. sunny for super bowl. but you said it the party starts today. in just a couple of hours, the clydesdales come galloping into town, we begin nightly free concerts and every night we'll see fireworks like they've never seen before. a lot of people particularly young ones, are lining upe grand canyon experience a taste of the can yoonyon taking on this rock climbing wall. i tried my hands and feet on it.

it's not a good look on me, hence the shades. check it out. here we go. wow, this is harder than it looks. okay i think i need longer arms. oh, no that's not going to happen, guys. hash tag halfway fail. this is the grand canyon experience. it's about three stories up. my problem, i needed my arms to be as long as my legs. i tweeted out a pic of my split blue jeans today. check it out. now take a look at how it's supposed to be done. our resident rock climber photographer chris kerwin makes it look easy. check out how he's bouncing off the walls coming up. hash tag fearless. he has done this before, folks. speaking of it is a ninth time at the super bowl rodeo for nbc's al michaels.

i got a chance to chat with him, hear about how he prepares and what makes this sunday different fwr his other sunday nights that draw the biggest audiences on tv every week. how is it different than you're usual sunday night, prepareing for a super bowl? >> we try not to make it any different actually because our feeling is amongst our crew is we're doing a mini super bowl every sunday night. it's the number one show on television and we're proud of that obviously. but we go in totally prepared for every game. you don't want to think that any one game is more important than any other. >> who's your pick? >> i don't have a pick right now. how about triple overtime. >> reporter: there you go. >> i think these teams are so eveningly matched and the game gets decided in the third overtime. >> reporter: folks, we've got a lot coming up at 5:00. the feds were out in force today in glendale in an under cover

scheme today. the crowds start to pour into phoenix. we'll show you their haul. we're also going to get the native american take here in arizona on our redskins name. and finally we sample a native american tradition known as indian fry bread. pat and chris, it is amazing. i had to loosen the belt today. back to you. we'll see you at 5:00. >> i never thought i'd say this, but stay dry in arizona, handli. >> go work on your rock climbing. >> they're going to get a little rain. >> they are. we're going to get a little rain and even a little bit of snow around here. but that is about 24 hours away. tomorrow this time. meanwhile, we've taken a look at the latest information. we have not one but two storms moving in over the next four days. yes, one tomorrow, then a stronger one which we'll talk more about throughout this newscast. if you're going to be going out tonight, here's what you can expect, clear conditions and definitely cold. but at least the wind will continue to settle down.

38 degrees right now. we've still got winds gusting over 20 miles per hour currently less wind by 9:00 as we move from 38 to 31 degrees, went 9 almost ten degrees lower, with clear sky by 11:00 p.m. here is a look at your future weather. fairly clear by early tomorrow 10:00 a.m. clouds on the move and over us. partly sunny to mostly cloudy early part of the day. then by 3:00 off to the west we'll start tracking that system. cumberland i think it's the snow, mixed conditions of rain and snow martinsburg winchester down through those areas rain and rain into leesburg. so it's up to the north around frederick hagerstown where there's a chance for snow. little snow mixed in with the rain around d.c. on south mostly rain. but again this will be a fast event for us. 8:00, this is a look at the temperatures throughout the area. leesburg you're at 31 but that system well east of you. baltimore at 34 degrees, 34

where typically the road temperature is a little higher. i think we're just fine for road surface conditions tomorrow. low impact storm, roads fine. but again a fast moving event from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. here again is your best chance of seeing the snowflakes mixing in with the rain. north of 66, up around 70 and even i-83 to 72 toward areas of hagerstown hagerstown. impact forecast, fairly low with this system. our chance comes late in the day so most of the day salvageable for getting out. run early, though, because it will be wet later. 24 degrees at 7:00 a.m., 33 by 11:00 a.m., 36 by 1:00 p.m., then 39 for your afternoon. yes, plenty warm for tomorrow. here is a look at your storm team 4 forecast. plenty warm as we get into the evening hours, 36 on friday. we've got a quiet day, partly sunny. and this is what we're going to be talking more about too,

later on in the newscast this system not for saturday but for sunday. not just rain with this but some snow. that's right, snow. we'll have more coming up in a few. even buried under two feet of snow, one mystery man's good deed is not going unnoticed in boston. here is the feel-good whodunit. >> it's a mystery the city of boston and so many on social media have been trying to figure out. during tuesday's snowstorm, the blizzard somebody actually went out and shoveled the boston marathon finish line. now, this photo was taken, posted on twitter. it started getting a lot of re-tweets, people figuring out who was this man. using the hash tag who shoveled the finish line. he's actually run in the boston marathon, and he is a local bartender in the area. again, this is the photo for the full story, head to our nbc washington facebook page. >> thanks amelia. a medical myth exposed. it looks like where you live is

not the cause of one particular health problem. why that means some of you won't be breathing so easily. in just a few days, everyone, just about everyone, will be glued to their tvs for super bowl xlix. so is now the best time to upgrade your entertainment center? plus, first at 4 -- >> super bowl sure has people talking. it's our nbc washington flash survey of the day. tell us why you like to watch the big game. vote by texting or calling the number on your screen. you can also cast your vote on the nbc washington facebook and twitter pages.

does inner city living put you at higher risk for developing asthma? there's new evidence it does not. in news4 your help a study by john hopkins children's center that race, ethnicity and income are the biggest risk factors. we have a family asthma and allergy expert. experts have said that african-americans were at higher risk because they tend to be concentrated in inner cities. but this study refutes that. >> that's right. it's not so much where they live. it's more that i think it's because of demographics. african-americans have moved out of the inner city into the suburbs and even rural areas. but what they brought with them was a few things. one of course is their family history. then those other links to asthma, whether it be premature

birth which then has a risk factor for asthma because of these young fragile lungs, smoking exposure or pest allergy. all of that came out to the suburbs and the rarely area. we find this is also true with puerto ricans as well. the risk factors are out to other areas. >> income also has a lot to do with it. >> yes. what that really showed is, if you were looking for an asthmatic, you used to think, go straight to the inner city and find it. really it came to the suburbs. don't just look at the city. it may be because there's poor housing and also poor access to medical care. >> now, if you live in maryland this could be an even bigger problem because of the budget cuts we're expecting. >> right. we just said that people that have lower income have an increased risk of asthma. so what happens? in 2013 there was a bill passed and the budget was amended to actually allow more money for physicians to accept medicaid patients. because the problem is doctors literally can't afford to take

care of them. now, with the end of the old administration and now the start of anew, budget cuts will cut into this group of people who need it the most. so what's sadly going to happen is it, those low income at risk of having asthma are end up in e.r.s, then we'll end up running up medical bills because they won't be able to see their doctors in offices, which is where it's best treated. >> very interesting. dr. jackie, thanks so much. >> you're very welcome. it's the video you need to see if you have kids. the very important warning this afternoon that could prevent a tragedy in your home. we're watching breaking news in annapolis. a deadly mansion fire, liv again?

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breaking news, a news conference in annapolis just wrapped up. >> let's go to darcy spencer at the annapolis fire station. >> reporter: we're learning a lot of new details about what happened with that tragic mansion fire just a bit more than a week ago. as we've been reporting, this was an electrical fire. it's been ruled as accidental. and it did involve a christmas tree. there was a problem with one of the power outlets that was nierear the tree. that outlet was powering 15,000 christmas lights on that tree, 15 feet high, and that served as a huge fuel load for that fire. i'm told that it burned like an inferno. some of the other information that came out today that this fire happen nd the greatroom of the home. as you can imagine a greatroom,

19-foot ceiling a lot of air in that room. again, fueling this fire it spread very quickly. the victims, at least the wife and the grandchildren were asleep upstairs in the sleeping areas which are all connected to the greatroom. let's hear now from the atf. >> this fire was the result of a tragic accident that occurred at the absolutely worst possible time, while the piles and their grandchildren were sleeping. >> reporter: now, we also learned that there's a lot that investigators still want to learn about this fire in terms of how exactly it happened, what role this tree played. this tree was dried out. they do plan to do some testing with some other tree that's are just like that tree in the coming weeks. we'll have more on this story coming up on news4 at 5:00. live from anne arundel county, darcy spencer. storm's over, but boy, oh,ople who had flights canceled this week are still waiting to get home. >> chris pallone shows us just

how long the take in one ever the hardest hit areas. >> reporter: the blizzard of 2015 is officially one for the record books. >> this was the sixth biggest storm in the city of boston's history, and it was the largest storm on record in the city of boston in the many of january. >> reporter: from connecticut to maine heavy snow and high winds blasted the region, closing schools and businesses and shutting down roads, canceling thousands of flights. now the cleanup and catch-up is under way. here in new england's second largest city, worcester massachusetts, they're digging out from 34.5 inches of snow. it's their biggest snowfall ever. >> i'm on a mission. i want to get it done. >> reporter: like many new englanders he's racing to get things cleaned up before the next snow flies possibly later this week. the south shore of massachusetts and nantucket island took a beating from winds near hurricane speed and high waves which rocked the seaseawalls. state officials are assessing the damage. at the northeast major airport

stranded air travelers are finally seeing signs of hope. >> once it stopped, it's not like a light switch. you can't just turn it back on. it has to go through a measured process. >> reporter: nearly 8,000 flights were canceled because of the blizzard. >> i'm a little frustrated. i want to get home. >> reporter: since the boston marathon bombing, the marathon finish line has been a symbol of strength and se zilresilience. chris pallone nbc news, worcester massachusetts. it's not often texas senator ted cruz praises the white house but he gave first lady michelle obama a shout-out on facebook today. >> his post said, she stood up for women worldwide because she did not wear a sharia mandated head scarf in saudi arabia. in fact the first lady's bare head generated worldwide debate. >> "the washington post" was one

of the first to report on this controversy. adam, i've been to saudi arabia western women aren't required to wear head coverings. was she making a political statement or just sort of keeping her own sense of personal style? >> well as my colleague wrote i think we can say the first lady always this thinks about what she's wearing. i think it's actually a pragmatic choice. remember the controversy her husband ka caused by allegedly bowing to the saudi king in 2009. i think she wanted to be herself. >> there is also the issue of whether she behaved appropriately or looked appropriate in the receiving line. some leaders shook her hand and some did not. i guess the question was if they were shunning her in some way. >> that's interesting. in saudi society, nobody is supposed to touch a woman that you're not related to or married

to. it is haveinteresting that some people including king salmon did choose to shake her hand. maybe a sign of pragmatism. >> just a quick question. condoleezza rice when she was secretary of state, she went scarf-free. german chancellor angela merkel has not worn a scarf in saudi arabia. why is it so controversial when the first lady chooses this? >> there's two things. the first thing is we are living in a social media age. really the people causing an uproar online were social conservative saudis. then the second factor is the debates as she came from the states. i think that's because we're at this point where people are really sort of reexamining the u.s./saudi relationship and saudi human rights. >> adam taylor thanks for joining us to talk about that controversy. >> that's right. there's another controversy going on on a local campus. the social media campaign that's

grabbing a lot of attention on a campus that's already dealt with its share of perronroblems. into the flames. fire fiertdfighters jump in to save children. storm team 4 tracking more snow. >> that's right. first we have this cold night to get through. some wintry weather tomorrow. then more wintry weather coming up the weekend. in fact sunday.

there is a new chief for the u.s. park police. robert mclane was sworn in this morning during a ceremony at ford theater. our "news4 today" colleague aaron gilchrist served as master of ceremony. mclane was acting chief for more than a year and says he's honored to continue serving the group. u.s. park police serve and protect federal land here and around the country. several investigators considered videotaping license plates at gun shows to help fight crimes. but today dea administrator michelle leonheart told the associated press that the idea was only a suggestion and was never put into action. it would have included license tag scanners that take pictures of every passing car and record the information in a database that can be used to track vehicles' movements. investigators insist that no

cameras were ever instauld. check out this incredible video a rare firstperson look at saving lives. a firefighter pulled three kids out of a burning home. he had a camera attached to his helmet sunday in fresno, california. at one point, the firefighter gets inches away from the flames before carrying a small child outside. the kids suffered some smoke inhalation. right now they're in the hospital recovering. there is a controversy brewing on uva's campus tonight. a group that represents sororities is demanding sisters do not attend saturday midnight parties at frat houses. this is when sorority sisters going house to house having drinks with friends. but some sisters said there were suspensions fines and penalties if they violate the ruling, just days after the university itself l lifted its suspension of activities. the hunt for the perfect

super bowl worthy big screen. consumer reporter erika gonzalez shows us how to pick the best tv without blowing your budget. and decades of wrong finally righted by this group of friends finally getting their records clean.

>> announcer: you're watching news4 at 4. welcome back. we have team coverage first at 4. >> we have reporters and meteorologists standing by this

afternoon, including storm team 4 veronica johnson. >> are we talking a one-two punch on super bowl weekend. >> is that right. the second storm looks like it will be on sunday. we'll give you the details here in this weather presentation. let's head on over to the weather wall from outside. we have that nice clear sky so no problems whatsoever. but a cold start to the day tomorrow. yes, we're talking about with the first storm as part of your weather headlines here, rain and snow tomorrow, a mix. then a stronger storm coming up for sunday. that is super bowl sunday. i'll give you the timing on that in just a moment. look at the temperatures for early tomorrow morning 24 degrees right inside the beltway, but teens elsewhere. you've got spots like aspen hill and poolsville starting around 14, 15 degrees chan tilly and about 15, morningside 22 degrees tomorrow morning. and as the day comes in a little bit of filtered sunshine. dry roads with 24 teens in the

outlying suburbs. as we get into the afternoon, 5:00 to 7:00 the system pushing in at 4:00, the roads will be wet but okay, the temperature 36. that's because we get up to around 40 degrees here in d.c. other locations, 36, 37 degrees to the north. it's not until we get to the late evening hours when temperatures could drop low enough, around 8:00, 9:00, where they could be 33 or 34. but the system will be moving out. school day forecasts for tomorrow the bus stop is cold. you've goat the green light. recess overcast and in the 30s green light. dismissal, still a green light. a lot of graphics and a lot for you to plan out. you can always find more information by following me on twitter or of course on facebook. take a look at this. on friday what comes in behind tomorrow's system is the cold, as we go from windchills 15 to 25 degrees by the afternoon on

friday, 5 to 15 degrees. so it really start getting cold here again pretty cold by the end of the week. again, everybody though, doug looking to super bowl sunday and what will play out with this next storm. >> and you just mentioned the cold will be here friday will be here on saturday. saturday probably the coldest day that we have. so the cold is already entrenched. that's what makes the next storm an interesting one to watch because the cold air is here on saturday. as we move back to the west this storm, our next storm on sunday, will actually come from the south. so it will try to bring in some milder air. now some of the late us a little farther to the south, and that means the mild air stays to the south and that means a better chance for snow as well. this moves in on sunday most likely sunday afternoon. mostly snow, but right now nothing too heavy. this is something we'll continue to watch over the next couple of days and the forecast will continue to change. we'll be all over it for you. >> we get through tomorrow just fine, again, 39 your high, quiet on friday. but very cold at 36.

your weekend, saturday/sunday, temperaturewise it's cold on saturday. we start out in the teens, the high around freezing. good for us that at least we get up to 38 on sunday. but as we fall, again, it's snow that will be moving into the area predominantly snow. we've got a lot more on the sunday system at 5:00. well, sails on tv leading up to the big game can lead to big savings. >> market track says you can expect to shave about 20% off the cost of most tvs. consumer reporter erika gonzalez shows us some of the best models for your money. >> so many options. so which tv should you buy? "consumer reports" has tips to help you score the best set for watching sports. a sports bar is a great place to watch the big game. at this one, you can follow the action on 49 tv screens. >> we're going to expect a big crowd, a bunch of noise, and a good time. >> reporter: but if you're buying a tv for your super bowl

party at home "consumer reports" says a screen that's at least 50 inches or larger is a good size for a crowd. testers in consumer"consumer reports" labs size up hundreds of tvs every year. also important, a set that delivers a wide viewing angle. >> when you're watching a big game not everyone is going to get that great seat front and center. one of the issues with lcd and led pictures is it can start to look wiped out. >> another consideration, how well the tv handles fast action. >> most tvs do fine with motion but sports is one of the types of contents that can stress a tv with movement without causing the blur. >> they also evaluate the tv sound clear and loud enough without distortion. the 55-inch sony bravia delivers silent sound and gets high

marks. it costs $2,800. >> this year's super bowl is not being broadcast in 4k but it will still look great on this set. this will have you future proofed when more 4k content becomes available. >> if you don't care about the ultra high-def the panasonic vieira is a "consumer reports" best buy for $700. while you'll see big sales of televisions leading up to the super bowl, "consumer reports" says you'll get even better deals in late february as retailers clear out older sets to make way for the new. >> and you can find a full list of "consumer reports" top picks for tvs, head to nbcwashington.com nbcwashington.com. it is essential that you keep safety in mind when installing these new tvs for the big game. according to the consumer products safety commission a child dies every two weeks from a tv or piece of furniture falling on them. the cbsc just released this

dramatic video showing the possible danger of a tv not being anchored to the wall. consumers are urged to mount tvs or ask for an anti-tip device when they buy a television. it's important to keep items that might tempt a child to climb off of the top of any furniture. by anchoring furniture and appliances, tragedies like that can be avoided. some people call it creepy but his owner calls it a miracle. they're also using the term "zombie cat" to describe what happened to a florida kitty named bart. bart was hit by a car and he certainly seemed dead. bart was in fact buried. not too well as it turned out. five days later, bart dug himself out of the grave and showed up at his neighbor's house. the cat will lose an eye, but otherwise he will make a full recovery recovery. with football getting a lot of attention, this could trigger a lot of talk. it shows that playing tackle football at a young age could raise the risk of memory loss and thinking problems later in

loss. researchers at boston university tested a group of former nfl players who suffered a similar number of concussions during their pro careers. those who started playing tackle football before the age of 12 did much worse on memory tests than those who started later. i'm wendy rieger at the live desk. new details just in about that deadly mansion fire in annapolis. investigators just wrapping up a news conference where they say it was an electrical fire that ignited a 15-foot christmas tree in the great room of that mansion burning that home to the ground and killing six people. confirming the victims are as we first reported last week, don and sandy pyle and their four young grandchildren who were sleeping over. news4's darcy spencer has learned more, she has details on the time line of that fire, where the bodies were found andspring letters. that's coming up at the top of the hour. i will see you then. >> thanks, wendy.

a man was waiting for a delivery but got something he never expected. >> basically, i paid someone to come to my house and pee on it. >> what he did when he said the delivery service didn't act fast enough. and we're following a developing story in northwest. a water main has burst in the busy dupont circle area. it's causing a mess

54 years later, civil rights protesters are finally getting their records cleared. they're known as the friendship 9. they were arrested for sitting at a whites only lunch counter in south carolina charged with trespassing and breach of peace. the men famously opted for hard labor instead of posting bail. their jail no bail tragedy was adopted by demonstrate rz around the south. all but one of them is still alive and remembers those days vividly. >> i remember being grabbed up by my belt and thrown to the floor and dragged out of the store. >> by whom? >> police officers. >> looking back on it it made a big difference in the civil rights movement. i'm very proud of it. >> now, it's interesting to note here that the judge who is expected to overturn their sentences is the nephew of the judge who originally sent the friendship 9 to jail. a u.p.s. driver caught on camera doing something that would infuriate anybody is now out of a job.

he ruined a package by tossing it over a fence. but as nbc's robert arnold shows us it's what the driver did next that really shocked a homeowner. >> so when it happened, i was like, wait, what's going on? >> reporter: that sense of bewilderment when he was scanning surveillance video. what he saw was a u.p.s. driver walking up to his gate. the gate was locked but instead of setting the package down he chucks it over the fence. the package broke open and damaged hundreds of dollars worth of ammunition chemicals and a machine used to clean gun parts. adding insult to injury, the u.p.s. driver then unzips his pants and pees on the side of lucas' house. >> so basically i paid for someone to come to my house and pee on it. >> reporter: he first offered to send u.p.s. the video. >> i just wanted them them to hear me and give me an e-mail address where i could send them the video. they simply didn't want to give

it. >> reporter: after getting what he felt was a lukewarm responsibility from the company with no real apology. he decided to post the video to social media. that prompted a stronger response from the company. in fact while we were meeting with lucas he got a call from a u.p.s. divisional manager. lucas says he not only got an apology but also an offer for the company to send over a "we're sorry" gift. lucas said he was also told that driver had been fired. >> that's what i kind of wanted, somebody to say, yeah, he shouldn't have done that and we'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again. >> now a statement directly from u.p.s. confirms that driver has been fired and that what he did indeed violated both decency and delivery care standards. news4 at 5 starts now with chris and wendy. we have breaking news at 5:00. we have just learned sprinklers would have made a huge difference in that deadly electrical fire at the mansion in annapolis.

>> a christmas tree went up in flames and took the lives of six family members. darcy spencer was at the news conference that just wrapped up. darcy what are you learning? >> reporter: chris, this has just been a tragic event that happened just a little over a week ago. it's more and more tragic as we learn additional details. what we today is that this was in fact an electrical fire. this was accidental in nature, caused by a problem with a power outlet that was near a christmas tree. this christmas tree had been up for 65 days in the home. we're told the tree was extremely dry. we've reported about the dangers of dry christmas trees in the past, and this is just a horrible reminder of those dangers. also, you mentioned about the sprinkler systems. we've been reporting previously that there was no sprinkler system in the home. it was not required. there was no sprinkler system required to be in the home. but officials told me today that it would have made a difference without a doubt. the fire again was electrical in nature. there was a problem with one of

the outlets near the christmas tree. it ignited combustibles and that christmas tree in the great room of the home. we're told that the tree served as sort of a fuel load for the fire, creating a virtual infern know. it went up fast. no one had a chance to get out alive. i'm told don pyle was found in the great room where the fire started. his wife sandy and their four young beautiful grandkids were on the second floor of the home in the sleeping areas. the firefighters were able to get there quickly after getting an alert from their alarm company but the house was already virtually destroyed. now, let's hear from a fire official talking more about the role the tree play nded in the fire. >> the fuel load from the christmas tree itself is what created the significant amount of fire and heat to cause the fire to spread as quickly as