Henry D. Lahah, 59, salesman, rescued Barbara A. and Janet E. Evans, 5 and 4 r, respectively, and attempted to rescue Charlotte P. Evans, 3, from burning, Coonrod, N. Y., December 11, 1936. While Barbara, Janet, and Charlotte were alone in their frame home, the house, the inner walls of which were of thin wood, took fire. Lahah forced open a door; and stooping low, he walked six feet into the kitchen, the walls and ceiling of which were burning. The flames descended within four feet of the floor. He took hold of one of the children and led her outside. Protecting his face with his arm, he then crawled 12 feet from the doorway into the kitchen, took hold of another girl, and crawled to the outside. Guided by Charlotte’s cries and again protecting his face as before, Lahah from the outside door crawled under the flames to the doorway of an adjoining room. Part of the ceiling of the room in which Charlotte was then fell in flames; and Lahah quickly crawled backward to the outside, a burning board crashing near him. The house was consumed, and Charlotte was dead when found. The hair of the other children was singed, but they received no burns. Lahah sustained minor burns.
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