Craig Alexander Morash helped to save Mary Ann Murphy from burning, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, May 13, 2014. Murphy, 46, was sleeping on the upper level of a 1.5-story house after a fire broke in the kitchen, on the main level, at night. From downstairs, her son alerted her to the fire, and she awoke her boyfriend, Morash, 43, who was also sleeping on the upper level. Assuming that Murphy was following him, Morash descended a ladder through thick smoke to the main floor and advanced to one of the bedrooms there to check on its occupant. Hearing Murphy screaming from the upper level, Morash returned to the ladder, having to pass through the burning kitchen. He climbed to the upper level, flames following him. After placing a piece of plywood over the opening to the upper level, Morash led Murphy to and through a small window that opened to the roof of the back porch. He then jumped the 10 feet to the ground. Extending his arms, he broke Murphy’s fall as she jumped, flames then issuing from the window. Morash required nine days’ hospitalization for treatment of serious smoke inhalation injuries.
87419 – 9834
87419-9834