Battaiion/Page 5 February 5, 1982 1982 state /national ISix missing following •Oklahoma hotel fire United Press International SHAWNEE, Okla. — Six per sons are missing and feared dead in a predawn tire at the ^historic Broadway Hotel Thurs day. Fourteen survivors fled into the snow and 14-degree temperatures. A police sergeant who disco- Ifvered the fire at 4:15 a.in. led H|occupants to safety from the [two-story frame structure, which mainly housed low- 1 income elderly residents. Smoke and (lames prevented him from goihg back into the rear of the building. Htfiventy people were regis- ered at the hotel. The six mis- iing occupants include one w'ho vad confined to a wheelchair md a couple and their 12-year- ild son, civil defense Director lori McCalip said. “We suspect at this point there are possibly six fatalities,” McCalip said. “That is a conser vative estimate.” Firefighters hosed down the ruins before trying to search for bodies in the shell of the build ing. Hearses stood by near the building, which looked as if a bomb had ripped through it. “We are trying to get the walls down, so they won’t fall in on us when we go in,” battalion fire chief Hershel Coomer said. McCalip said: “The ground is covered with solid sheet of ice and firefighters were covered with ice.” No injuries were reported among the rescued occupants or firefighters, who brought the blaze under control by 8 a.m. Most of the survivors lived near Shawnee and were picked up by relatives, McCalip said. “The fire is under control but we have quite a bit of smoke and ice,” McCalip said. “The old structure was wood. It’s burned to the ground.” McCalip said the hotel was considered a historical building in Shawnee, a city of 26,000 ab out 40 miles east of Oklahoma City. “It’s basically a landmark,” he said. “I’d guess its 40 to 50 years old.” Sgt. Victor Lee saw flames spewing from the hotel as he re turned to City Hall, which is in the same block, McCalip said. The fire also engulfed two neighboring businesses. Witnesses said firefighters climbed to the roof of the nearby county courthouse and watered down its roof to reduce the dan ger from flying embers. Doctor with MS battles Dallas County for job P: United Press International DALLAS — A doctor suffer- ig from multiple sclerosis has -juccessfully battled the bureauc- LHc Mitchdlacy to keep his job at the Dallas lounty Health Department, but ■reward for his success is an fffce, a desk and nothing to do. uilding’i In the four years Dr. Donald ■than has suffered from MS, ictias been fired by health dire- “ 'tors three times. Each time, he piS reinstated by state and fed- ral commissions who found he lid been harassed and that his /orking conditions violated fed- ral standards for the hand- rapped. And unless the county installs acilities to accomodate Balaban, he federal Department of e jyij; ii dealth and Human Services , en ( | hreatens to withdraw financing ers f r(|1 or county health projects. ofSdte* Meanwhile, Balaban, who is was frjlind, sits in his office at the bed irWoodlawn jail, drawing a for 1(41,200 per month salary and is tees. :old to do nothing, claim r> He sits in virtual isolation in a n was aarren office marked by a card board sign on the door. The cafeteria is on the third floor, reofan b u , q ie e i eva t 0 r does not work, s altoi So, the health department has dd. He been required by federal offi- dor cials to give Balaban fresh coffee was > and water daily in lieu of lunch, a situai The pitchers in his office have atened, no( been cleaned for two weeks k soiJf and are growing mold. im< * 11 Balaban, 41, said he only Randol wants the job he had before — re thed answering medical telephone in- if extern quiries from the public and pro- said confessionals. He was bounced out on cap of that job three years ago when lichcarr-health director Dr. Elliot Salen- t y __uc ger was hired. i execunfi Intellectually, I’m relatively )5j intact,” Balaban said. “I can’t see and feel, but I can think. For the most part, that’s what a physi cian does is think.” The county health depart ment has only one concern, Salenger said. “Is he capable of practicing medicine?” Salenger said. “His condition has deteriorated since I’ve been here. No one feels that he’s capable of making any medical decisicms.” Salenger said he questions whether Balaban is even capable of handling phone information. *ak i nd r Butter “He doesn’t have any of the training in the job he was origin ally assigned to,” Salenger said. “We need coverage in our jail facilities, and we want to know if he’s capable as a physician, not a telephone operator.” In August, Salenger asked the state Board of Medical examin ers to evaluate Balaban’s com petency. The board is still inves tigating the case. Salenger also said he would, not subject patients to Balaban’s treatment because multiple sclerosis has caused the doctor to deteriorate mentally. Nancy Walters, who is a regis tered nurse and executive dire ctor of the Tarrant County Mul tiple Sclerosis Association Inc., disagrees. “MS affects the sensory and coordination skills and not his Your Danskin Headquarters Manor East Mall 779-6718 Ken’s Automotive 421 S. Main — Bryan 822-2823 "A Complete Automotive Service Center” ® Tune-Ups • Brakes • Clutches ® McPherson Struts • Front End Parts Replacement • Standard Transmission Repairs All American Cars VW-Datsun-Honda Toyota (Master Card & VISA Accepted) i€i Has All Brands Of KEGS and Over 60 Brands of Imported Beer Plus Money-Saving Longnecks - All- Brands 3611 S. College 846-6635 Foods ax. jpl ll NG ineb :er- GET AN EDUCATION I MONET CANT BUY. PUIS $15,200 FOR COLLEGE Join the Army for two years. 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SFC James McGuire U.S. Army Recruiting Station 1679 Briarcrest Drive — Bryan, TX 77801 (713) 822-5713 Warped By Scott McCullar Exec invents kidnapping story after disappearing for a week United Press International LAS CRUCES, N.M. — An (Balaban’s) cognizant abilities at all,” she said. “He would be able to give advice as well as any doc tor with his training.” Balaban said he continues the struggle to stay with the county because he needs the insurance benefits more than his $1,200 monthly part-time salary. aerospace company security ex ecutive says job pressures prompted him to disappear for a week and then invent a kid napping and robbery story to explain his absence. Thomas G. Gehrts, 26, said after returning, that he resigned as security director for Space Communications Co. of Gaith ersburg, Md., and intends to re turn to college to study business administration. Gehrts late Wednesday re turned to Las Cruces, where he disappeared, for questioning by local police. 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