Developments in the Woodgrains Furniture fire and ensuing arson charges against owner Bryan Purdie over the last 27 months:

Dec. 6, 2000: Insurance agent Mark Jones made a 9-1-1 call reporting a fire at Woodgrains Furniture on South Broadway, next to his building, around 5 p.m. Woodgrains owner Bryan Purdie also reported the fire after rushing into the Bible Book Store across Main Street. The flames were extinguished shortly.

Doug Johnson, Albert Lea Fire Department arson investigator, took samples from the area where a combustible gas detector reacted positively.

Dec. 8, 2000: An investigator from Purdie’s insurance company took an electric extension cord from the scene to examine.

March 6, 2001: The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension lab concluded that no ignitable liquids were detected in the samples taken by Johnson the day of the fire.

June 22, 2001: Purdie filed an insurance claim of $239,611.93 for the fire damage. The insurance firm, Westfield Companies, denied the claim.

Aug. 27, 2001: Investigators searched the property with a court warrant.

Sept. 12, 2001: Assistant County Attorney David Walker filed charges of first-degree and second-degree arson, and insurance fraud, against Purdie.

Dec. 12, 2001: Purdie pleaded not guilty and requested a speedy jury trial.

April 1, 2002: Judge John Chesterman granted the withdrawal of defense attorney Don Savelkoul from the case due to Purdie’s inability to pay.

April 2, 2002: Public defender Stephen Erickson was assigned as the new attorney for Purdie.

April 8, 2002: This was the first scheduled trial date. It was rescheduled because of the unanticipated change in Purdie’s representation.

Oct. 7, 2002: This was the second scheduled trial date. The court rescheduled the date again as Walker objected to the suppression of key witnesses’ testimony. A new trial date was set for April 1, 2003.

Oct.16, 2002: Walker filed an amended complaint, changing the basis of the first-degree arson charge from use of accelerant to setting fire on a building where another person is present.

Jan. 16, 2003: In a court hearing, Erickson brought up new evidence that the female end of an extension cord taken from the fire scene was missing, meaning the cord could could not be ruled out as a possible cause of the fire.

Feb. 19, 2003: Walker dropped the charges against Purdie.