Alexander E. Shearer, 24, lamp tender, saved Francis L., 3, and Zura L., 11, MacDonald from burning, Dingville, West Virginia, September 26, 1912. Francis and Zura were in a room across which fire and smoke swept from an open doorway. They lay asleep in a bed, the foot of which was near an open window through which tongues of flame were entering. Although the smoke was so dense that the location of the flames could not be determined definitely, Shearer smashed a window at the opposite side of the room from the bed and, despite having been severely burned on the face by flames which darted out, climbed into the room and ran 20 feet through smoke and flames to the bed. He carried Francis and led Zura to a point 10 feet from the window through which he had entered. Zura then jerked away from him and ran toward the flames, which came through the doorway. Shearer dropped Francis and followed Zura one or two steps and caught her. He again picked Francis up, took both children to the window, and threw them out. He was nearly overcome by smoke and heat and seemed about to fall, but a man reached through the window and grabbed his arm. He was pulled from the room. Two minutes later the roof fell in. Shearer sustained burns that disabled him 15 days. The children were not severely burned. 9253-735
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