Dennis Lorenzo Carter helped to save Elmer D. Deal from burning, Martinsville, Virginia, December 28, 2000. Deal, 79, remained in the living room of his second-floor apartment, in a two-story commercial building, after fire broke out on the first floor at night and filled the building with smoke. Unable to walk unaided, he broke out a living room window and called for help. Riding in a car nearby, Dennis, 12, student, saw smoke issuing from the building, then saw Deal leaning out the window. He responded to an outside door that opened to Deal’s apartment. Despite dense smoke that extended almost to the floor, he entered the apartment, crawling, before having to retreat for air. He crawled inside again and reached Deal. A man also had responded to the building, entered the apartment, and encountered Deal. As flames spread quickly in the building, Dennis and the man took Deal through the apartment and outside to safety. The building was destroyed by the fire. Deal required hospitalization for treatment of smoke inhalation, and Dennis also was treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation. They recovered.
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