FIRE sale ... wasn't that the term used against the USA in the movie Live Free or Die Hard.     Three Stages of A Fire Sale Stage 1: Shutting down all transportation systems; such as traffic lights, railroad lines, subway system and airport systems.    Stage 2: Disable the financial systems; including Wall Street, banks and financial records.  [started]  Stage 3: Turning off public utility systems, such as electricity, gas lines, telecommunications and satellite systems.