Cornelius J. Huson saved Milton H. Blake and three others from burning, Orinda, California, May 23, 1963. At night Blake, 23, fireman, U.S. Navy, and three companions were injured and lost consciousness when the four-door sedan in which they were riding struck the rear of an unoccupied automobile and ruptured its fuel tank. Flaming gasoline was sprayed over the area, including a dense hedge and two trees. The sedan, with flames two to three feet high covering its hood, stopped 30 feet from the other vehicle, which was enveloped in flames. Huson, 43, cable salesman, ran to the left front door of the sedan as flames on the hedge and trees near its other side rose as much as 30 feet. Forcing open the door with difficulty, Huson removed Blake and dragged him 35 feet from the sedan. Returning to the open door, he extended his body into the vehicle and grasped Gary L. Harmon. After he had dragged Harmon a safe distance from the sedan, Huson again ran back to the automobile. By then heat was intense. Huson entered the vehicle and from a kneeling position on the front seat pulled Larry F. Simmons from under the dashboard. As he dragged Simmons away, an electric power line near the trees burned through and fell onto the sedan’s roof, throwing off sparks. Noticing movement in the rear seat, Huson once more ran to the sedan, noting that the fallen power line had dropped from the roof to the ground. He jerked open the left rear door and pulled Kenneth H. Mills from the rear compartment. Another man aided Huson in carrying Mills away from the sedan. Meanwhile two men had run to the other automobile and determined that it was unoccupied. Simmons and Harmon later died of injuries sustained in the accident. Blake and Mills recovered.
46960 – 4827
46960-4827