Tcas climb, that's an interesting remark you made there. Personally, with any APU fire indication that does not go out, I'd land immediately, we don't know the facts for this instance, perhaps the indication went out. Even so, I don't know if it's wise to start spraying fuel if you cannot visually check your tail from inside the aircraft.
Tail strike can happen because of bad loading or bad trim setting (apart from the reasons mentioned above). If the CG was more aft than normal or calculated, a high rotation rate could occur, rotation could even start before the calculated rotation speed.
Bob Builder, I'm sorry, I exaggerated a bit, there are good stories out there, but they're more the exception than the norm. The ones that do compliment the outcome usually go "The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely." Most people think there's only one pilot on the plane (the captain) and the first officer only sits there to keep him company (okay there are captains out there who think this too but they should be banned from the planet). Back when passengers were allowed to visit the flight deck during flight, you wouldn't believe what some of them would say to me, as F/O. First suck up to the captain, then turn to me and say, "Now then young man, what is it that YOU do here?"
I personally don't care or take it personally, but some pax start writing their testaments when they see the captain going to the toilet because they think nobody is flying the plane (you should see them when he's in the lav and it starts getting turbulent, and don't start saying it's the f/o wiggling the yoke!
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I don't think it's the press' job to educate the people, but it is their job not to misinform them!