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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 8, 1995                   TAG: 9503080122
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

COUPLE HIT BY HEART ATTACKS

A Roanoke County couple remained in critical condition Tuesday after suffering heart attacks within 40 minutes of each other. Because authorities were unsure if the heart attacks were caused by medical problems or possible toxic fumes, the apartment complex where they live was evacuated, said Roanoke County Fire Inspector Rodney Ferguson.

About 11 p.m. Monday, rescue workers responded to a call of a man having chest pains at Blue Ridge Manor Apartments at 201-A Laurel Hill Drive. Workers found Willy Graybill, 70, in full cardiac arrest and took him to Community Hospital of Roanoke Valley.

About 40 minutes later, his wife, Gracie Graybill, 69, also had a heart attack, possibly caused by seeing her husband's condition, Ferguson said. She was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Firefighters evacuated the building as a precautionary measure and checked for toxic fumes, but none were found.

``Everything was fine, except for minute traces of carbon monoxide'' in the Graybill apartment, Ferguson said. ``But it was not significant enough to cause a heart attack.''

One firefighter and two rescue workers were treated at Roanoke Memorial Hospital after they became dizzy. Ferguson said doctors could not find any physical reason why the emergency workers felt ill.

by CNB