Monday, December 6, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 5
Nation
Six Massachusetts firefighters die during five-story warehouse blaze
The Associated Press
WORCESTER, Mass. — The first two firefighters headed into the burning warehouse to search for homeless people who might be trapped. Minutes later, a voice crackled on the radio: "Mayday, Mayday, we're running out of air."
Four other firefighters disappeared into the smoke attempting to rescue their colleagues.
None of the six returned.
The Worcester firefighters are believed to have perished in the five-story conflagration that continued to burn Saturday morning.
"It's three weeks before Christmas," District Fire Chief Michael McNamee said. "There's roughly 15 kids out there without fathers."
Investigators said the cause of the fire was not immediately known. But Worcester Deputy Fire Chief Gerard Dio called it suspicious, saying firefighters initially were fighting two fires that appeared to have started separately.
Witnesses told firefighters that homeless people often built fires in the windowless rooms of the old abandoned warehouse to keep warm.
For the firefighters who entered it Friday night, the 80-year-old cold storage warehouse became a confusing maze of dark, smoky rooms with no windows, which impeded their ability to find their way and trapped the heat inside. Cork insulation added to the smoke.
the warehouse to gather in an external stairwell. That's when the radio call came in from the two missing men, saying they were somewhere two floors below the roof, he said.
When the smoke and flames became too intense, McNamee ordered the 35 firefighters inside
The fire chief told the firefighters' relatives on Saturday that recovering the bodies and investigating the cause would be a long, slow process. President Clinton also released a statement of condolence for the families.
McNamee sent two-man search teams back into the building with ropes to guide them back out. Two of the teams never returned.
"Their courageous service reminds us all of the tremendous commitment and sacrifice made by the thousands of firefighters across America who risk their own lives every day to protect our communities," Clinton said.
The Associated Press
McCain pronounced to be in good health
WASHINGTON— Republican presidential candidate John McCain said yesterday that he hoped the release of medical records that pronounced him in good physical and mental health would allay concerns about his fitness for the presidency.
The Arizona senator said he had planned to release his health history long before questions were raised about whether he had the appropriate temperament for the White House.
"It may have the effect of allaying any concerns that people might have," he said on NBC's Meet the Press.
neered by Republican rivals challenging his mental fitness.
Hundreds of pages of McCain's medical records were made available Saturday to The Associated Press, in part to counter what aides call a "whisper campaign" engi-
Current and contemporaneous notes by medical personnel con-
years of imprisonment as a prisoner-of-war in Vietnam left McCain with no psychological wounds.
M c C a i n
acknowledges
he feels passionately about issues and has gotten angry at people, but he insists that
McCain: Records say five years as prisoner-of-war left no psychological呼救
does not disqualify him from being president. He has gone to great lengths to mend fences after disputes, writing personal, hand-
His state's largest newspaper, The Arizona Republic, said in an editorial in October there is reason to seriously question whether McCain has the temperament, and the political approach and skills, we want in the next president of the United States.
delivered notes and making face-to-face apologies.
Small sections of McCain's psychological reports will be withheld from the public because they were deemed personal and irrelevant to McCain's physical or mental health.
The material made available to The Associated Press summarizes McCain's concerns about his family, as well as a worry that imprisonment cost him 5 and 1/2 years of his life and his need to catch up. None of the material raises questions about his physical or mental fitness.
The Antique Pipe Shop
im Blends made just for you
Fine Cigars, including Cuban
Improted Cigarettes
Quality Pipes
10am-5:30pm Mon-Fri 830 Massachusetts
10am-8pmThurs Uptairs
1-5pmSunday In the Amherst hall
Red Lyon Tavern
944 Mass.832-8228
Just off 23rd behind McDonalds - 749-Hawk
Open at 4F M Daily. I AM Weekends
At these prices,it's too bad we don't sell cars.
Maybe one day we will sell cars, food and everything else you need. But right now, it's great deals on textbooks every day. You can save up to 40%, and you'll get your books in 1 to 3 days. Not that you would, but don't sweat using a credit card. VarsityBooks.com is 100% guaranteed secure. Try saying that about a new SUV.
SAVE UP TO 40% ON TEXTBOOKS.
VarsityBooks