Garrel P. Forth rescued Paul A., Michael G., and Richard J. Beuhler from burning, Carlyle, Illinois, January 3, 1971. When a sedan was involved in a highway accident, its fuel tank was ruptured and escaping gasoline fed flames which broke out at the rear end of the vehicle. Forth, 29, sawyer, ran to the sedan and opened the right front door. The rear seat section was afire, and flames were spreading to the front compartment. As Forth removed Paul, 9, from the front seat, other persons in that section escaped through the opposite door. With some difficulty Forth then opened the damaged right rear door; and flames issued through the top of the opening. Crouching, Forth reached into the rear section and removed Michael, 14. After beating out the flames on Michael, Forth extended one hand directly into the increasing flames in the rear compartment and removed Richard, 7. Forth used water in a nearby ditch to put out the flames on Richard. Paul had sustained only a minor burn; but Michael, Richard, and Forth were hospitalized for burns they had suffered. They recovered.
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