European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes sunday october 6.1991fire, blasts rip Juk building in Boston Boston up a a series of explosions rocked the John f. Kennedy Federal building sending flames and heavy smoke shooting from the roof of the downtown skyscraper and forcing 1,000 government employees to flee. There were no deaths in fridays fire but at least two people were injured neither seriously. The fire which broke shortly after 4 ., was preceded by 20 to 30 rapid fire explosions on the upper floors of the 27-Story skyscraper witnesses said. At the height of the Blaze flames 40 feet High shot from the roof of the building in downtown Bostons government Center Complex sending a column of heavy Black smoke into inc sky and raining the ground with debris. Damage was estimated at $1 million. A a there san incredible amount of flame just like a Torch a said Frank Arri Eale a Boston Gas co. Executive As he watched the fire from his office in a nearby building. A it was real panic pieces of debris coming Down a said a Juk building employee. A it was like a War  elevators were closed because of the fire and building employees said they were told in a tape recorded announcement Over the buildings Public address system not to try to leave. But police and firefighters rushed into the building and ran up the stairwells counter manding the order. A i saw the police running up every flight of the building trying to get the people out a said Boston mayor Raymond Flynn whose City Hall office is located about 100 Yards from the Blaze. A it was quite a workout for the police fire and  a say what what you will about police officers they have gut reactions to do the right things a the mayor said. Quot they dashed up the 25 flights of stairs and got the people very Calm and escorted them Down. The police made a split second decision that i believe saved a lot of lives and saved a lot of  firefighters reached the roof of the building and began dousing the flames shortly before 5  The fire was declared under control at 5 17 ., a Little More than an hour after it broke out said roil Karon a spokesman for the Boston fire department. Flynn said the fire May have been electrical and apparently started in a Cooling system. A there have been major renovations going on a Flynn said. A the old coolant system is on lop of the building and something  commissioner Martin Pierce said the Blaze started on the 25th floor but said it was too Early to determine the cause. The building normally houses 4,000 employees but the top 12 stories of the building were closed for repairs and Pierce said Only 1,000 people were inside at the time of the fire. Police Deputy superintendent Robert Hayden confirmed that a tape playing inside the building advised people not to evacuate. Emergency personnel a almost had to order people to leave a he said. A they told us not to leave the building a said employee Moreen Walsh. A we looked out the window we saw All this Black stuff come  a there was a lot of confusion a said another worker Bob Vera. A thank god the Boston police department be formed like heroes a Hayden said. Hospitals in the area said they had prepared to treat any victims from the fire but Flynn said Only two people were injured a a police officer who sustained a leg injury and one firefighter. The 26-year-old building houses the Boston offices of dozens of Federal agencies including the Fri internal Revenue service and drug enforcement administration. Flames shoot from the roof of the John f. Kennedy Federal building in  sides claim Relief in baking soda lawsuit new Brunswick . Apr a Man whose stomach exploded after he took Arm amp Hammer baking soda for indigestion is not entitled to damages but the product Label should have warned of the danger a jury has decided. Both sides claimed Victory in the lawsuit. A this puts the country on notice that they can get Hurt or can die with this product a said Adrian i. Karp attorney for plaintiff William Graves. William Egan president of Arm amp Hammer products said the baking soda Label was changed in 1983 to include a warning that stomach injury could occur if it is taken As an antacid on an a Overly full stomach. The verdict applied to the old Label which had no such warning. Egan said current Labelling is a sufficiently  after a five week trial the stale Superior court jury voted 5-1 Friday that baking soda does present a danger of stomach rupture and that Arm amp hammers warnings were inadequate. But the panel also voted 5-1 that an adequate warning would not have prevented Graves from taking the remedy. Because it voted against Graves on that question the jury never considered whether the baking soda caused Graves stomach to rupture. Graves of Bethesda md., said he developed indigestion one night in 1979 after eating a bowl of homemade Chili and drinking two martinis and a Glass of wine. He said his stomach ruptured after he drank a Glass of water mixed with a spoonful of baking soda. Graves 64, said he needed seven operations to recover and almost died twice. He sued Church amp Dwight inc. Of Princeton makers of Arm amp Hammer in 1984, seeking unspecified damages and an order that the product not be sold As an antacid. Graves is editor of National geographic Magazine. First class stamp remains at 29 cents a for now Washington a will the Price of a first class stamp Rise to 30 cents after 18 months of debate the question went Back to the . Postal service on Friday. Action could come As soon As tuesday when the Agency a governing Board meets in Rushing . The Agency said however that no Dale has been set for a decision. The 30-cent Price was proposed As Kart of a massive rate package on Larch 6, 1990. But the Independent postal rate commission Early this year approved Only a 29-cent stamp. The postal service adopted that rate in february and other changes approved by the commission under protest. It appealed for the extra Penny asserting that the 1-cent difference would mean an annual loss of $800 million. The rate commission turned Down the Appeal in june and a second Appeal was rejected Friday sending the matter Back to the postal service. The rate commission said that it would agree to a series of Small increases in a variety of rates but that adding another Penny to the Cost of a first class stamp would place too great a Burden on those mailers. Under the Complex rules governing postage rates the matter now rests with the Board of governors of the postal service who can overrule the rate commission a but Only if the nine governors agree unanimously. That has happened once in 1981. Junior High pupils told president Bush was killed Dallas apr a school administrator falsely reported Over loudspeakers that president Bush was killed to show How people react to startling news angering pupils and the president of the school Board. About 50 Junior High school pupils walked off Campus in protest Friday after learning in a second announcement about four minutes later that the report was false. A we did no to think it was right that they did it a said Shane Speakman a 14-year-old eighth grader at Charles m. Blalack or. High school in suburban Carrollton. Quot they were just playing with our  Don Shefield president of the Carrol Iton Farmers Branch Independent school District Board criticized the announcement and promised an investigation. A having been through the War of the worlds 1 know the fright of that a Shefield said. The bogus message by assistant principal Dara Stewart was made to show How listeners reacted to the 1938 Orson Welles radio play War of the worlds which led some people to believe that martians had landed m new Jersey. An eighth Grade class at the school had been studying the famous broadcast. Principal Lora Folsom agreed to let a similar startling announcement be made after teachers were briefed to expect a Shock. A because of what the kids were we wanted an announcement that would have a similar or some kind of reaction Folsom said. Folsom apologized to the pupils when they returned to their classes speak Tan said