Frederick S. Williamson helped to save Andrew J. Reilly from burning, Southampton, Pennsylvania, December 23, 2012. Reilly, 71, was in the family room of his split-level house after a fire broke out in that room. Neighbors discovered and reported the fire, heard Reilly moan, and removed a window to access the ground-level room, but they were not successful in finding him. A responding police officer entered the room and, locating Reilly near the far wall, began to drag him to the window but became disoriented in the dense smoke. Another police officer, Williamson, 46, responded to the scene and also entered the room through the window, despite intense heat, dense smoke that severely restricted visibility and hampered breathing, and growing flames along one wall of the room. Calling out to the first officer, Williamson crawled about halfway across the room and found him. Together the officers dragged Reilly to the window and lifted him through it to others. As Williamson and the other officer were exiting the house, a flashover occurred in the room, exacerbating conditions and sending flames through the window. Williamson and the other officer escaped to safety. Reilly required hospitalization for injuries sustained in the fire, and Williamson and the other officer were checked at the scene for minor burns. They recovered.
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