Della C. Coldiron saved Louise H. Saylor from being burned, Coldiron, Kentucky, February 1, 1936. Mrs. Saylor, 77, was alone in her home when the house took fire. She opened an inside door, was struck in the face by flames, and her hair caught fire. Trying to beat out the fire in her hair, she ran to the front porch, screamed, and then ran back into the house. The door closed behind her and locked. Della, 13, schoolgirl, ran to the porch, broke open the door with a mattock, and went inside. She could scarcely see because of smoke. Hearing Mrs. Saylor’s voice, she pushed open a door several inches, unfastened a string-latch, and took a step or two to Mrs. Saylor, who was beating at her hair and whose clothing was burning in spots. The wall close to Mrs. Saylor was burning for two to three feet down from the ceiling, and the ceiling was burning for two to three feet from the wall. Della got a shawl from a bed nearby, put it over Mrs. Saylor’s head, and then slowly dragged her through thick smoke to the front door and out of the house. Mrs. Saylor sustained small burns on her face and hands and recovered. Della was not burned but suffered from shock for several days.
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