ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, December 23, 1995            TAG: 9512250019
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: BIG ISLAND 
SOURCE: Associated Press 

AIRBORNE AIR COOLER FALLS INTO YARD

A cooling system being moved by helicopter to a paper mill fell to the ground in the back yard of a residence, but no one was hurt.

``I'm glad I wasn't here,'' said Lisa Saunders, who lives where the air-conditioning unit, as big as a car, fell Thursday. ``I probably would have died. Looking at it, you could tell the impact had kind of squashed it.''

Georgia-Pacific was in the process of moving several air conditioners into its pulp mill when the accident occurred. Company spokesman Jim LeFew said an electrical malfunction caused the unit to fall.

LeFew said the helicopter pilot intentionally flew a route that did not travel over anyone's home.

``At no time were the residents put in a dangerous situation with this project,'' he said.

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