Earl Victor Boggs

Earl Victor Boggs rescued Stewart L. Long from burning, Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1970. At night fire broke out in a first-floor wall in a two-story frame dwelling where Stewart, 6, his parents, sister, and brother occupied second-floor bedrooms. As smoke and heat increased throughout the house, all but Stewart escaped by way of upstairs windows. Neighbors, including Boggs, 64, sawmill worker, were attracted. Water from a garden hose was sprayed on the flames, but efforts to get to the second floor were thwarted by the heat and smoke. When the fire had been extinguished but heat and smoke conditions still were intense, Boggs entered the dwelling twice in attempts to ascend the stairs but each time was forced to retreat. On his third try he succeeded and, in complete darkness, crawled into Stewart’s bedroom. Boggs was coughing almost continuously as he searched the room but failed to find Stewart. When he was forced to leave, Boggs crawled from the bedroom and in the darkness touched Stewart, who was lying unconscious in the hall. Lifting Stewart in his arms, Boggs rose to his feet and ran from the dwelling. Stewart required hospitalization for extensive burns resulting from radiant heat.