European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vol. 50, no. 192 tuesday october 22,1991 authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces 35c d 8693 Israel releases 15 arabs american hostage May be freed in 24 hours Beirut Lebanon apr in another step toward ending the hostage ordeal Israel and its allies freed 15 Arab prisoners monday and shiite Muslim kidnappers said they would release an american captive within 24 hours. Also on monday israeli warplanes bombed a Hezbollah guerrilla base in Southern Lebanon wounding three civilians in apparent reprisal for a bomb attack by the iranian Allied group. Three israeli soldiers died in the attack sunday. Hezbollah is believed to be an umbral a group for shiite Muslim factions holding Western hostages in Lebanon. It was not Clear whether the israeli raid would affect a possible hostage release. The United nations and a group holding two american hostages a Allan Steen and Jesse Turner a both said a hostage release was imminent. The hostage to be freed was not named.  negotiations have engineered a Swap of Western hostages Arab detainees under israeli control and an accounting of israeli soldiers missing in Lebanon. Since August three Western hostages have been freed after years of Captivity in Lebanon and a Frenchman was released after being held for three Days. Israel freed 66 Arab detainees. In return Israel received word of the deaths of two soldiers and the remains of a third. The International committee of the red Cross said 14 prisoners including two women were freed at 9 . Monday from the Khiam prison in israelis self designated Security zone. Hezbollah activist Ali Fawaz was also released from another israeli prison about an hour later. The release of Arab detainees came eight hours after the islamic jihad for the liberation of Palestine announced Early monday that it would a release an Ameri can hostage within 24  the group did not say who would be freed. Its statement was accompanied by a photograph of Turner. Fawaz a lebanese was transported to the Southern lebanese port of Tyre where he told reporters he had been held in israelis Kamleh prison for five years. A i was captured during a major attack on a zionist outpost in the Security zone five years ago. I was wounded and that is How the zionists captured me a Fawaz said. He said he was held in the same prison see Israel on Page 2raging fire kills 10, guts 380 Homes Oakland Calif. Apr firefighters battled a roaring fire monday that swept out of the dry Hills above Oakland and Berkeley and raced through Well to do neighbourhoods killing 10 people and destroying at least 380 Homes authorities said. Ash covered residents grabbed pets photographs and other keepsakes before fire chased them from their Homes sunday. Some people drove to safety through streets filled with flaming debris and lined with burning Trees and Homes. A i did no to take my Check Book nothing. There was nobody to help me think a said 77-year-old Piccola White who fled with her great grandson. Among the victims were a family of five who died trying to escape their burning Home. A firefighter and a Solice officer also were killed said Alameda county supervisor Don Perata. About 1,000 firefighters battled the Blaze which was reported about midday sunday. The cause of the fire sae related stories on Page 3 was not immediately known. Oakland mayor Elihu Harris said it did not appear to be arson. The fire moved quickly from Street to Street then Hill to Hill in Oakland Ana Berkeley neighbourhoods that have panoramic views of san Francisco Bay. The fire made a deafening Roar As it burned terrain parched by five years of drought. Wildfires burned elsewhere in Northern California and the West. Firefighters battled blazes in Colorado Montana Oregon Ana Washington. In the Oakland area winds gusting to 40 Mph whipped the flames forcing firefighters to flee along with residents. Thunderous explosions attributed to propane tanks Trees or electric transformers were Neard. The fire in the heavily wooded neighbourhoods near the Caldecott Tunnel destroyed at least 350 Homes in Oakland and 30 to 50 in Berkeley said Oakland police sgt. Kevin Traylor. More than 1,500 acres were blackened. As Dawn approached monday clusters of flames were visible throughout the Oakland Hills although the fire appeared to Nave been driven from the Berkeley Hills Traylor said from the fire command Center in Oakland. The winds died Down overnight but fire Crews were still struggling Early monday to contain the fire Traylor said. Authorities closed highways and halted Bay area rapid transit trains which run through the Tunnel. At least 50 people including three firefighters were see fire on Page 2 towering flames in the Hills above Oakland Calif., Silhouette a firefighter standing on the roof of a  2-0 Lead a see sports