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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 20, 1993                   TAG: 9301200280
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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FIRE ALARM JUST A LOT OF HOT AIR

A report of a fire Tuesday night at the Honeytree Early Learning Center on Electric Road sent Salem firefighters rushing to the scene.

But what firefighters found was just a bunch of hot air - steam, that is.

A security guard at the center, which stands adjacent to Lewis-Gale Hospital, had called the report in, stressing that it was "a definite fire," Fire Capt. Ronnie Perdue said.

"Steam was lingering outside" from a dryer inside the building that was venting the hot air into 30-degree air outside, Perdue said.

Firefighters scaled ladders to check the roof and entered the building to be absolutely sure, Perdue said. An hour later, they were back at the department.

"We did throw two basketballs off the roof - guess we did something positive," Perdue said.

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