James A. Short, Jr., rescued David J. Johnston from burning, Cape Coral, Florida, March 17, 2010. Johnston, 63, who was an invalid, was in the living room of his duplex apartment when fire erupted at the oxygen equipment he used. He yelled for help. Short, 52, plumber, who lived in the adjacent apartment, was alerted to the fire. He responded to the front door of Johnston’s apartment, entered, and, despite intense heat and dense smoke that limited visibility, searched the apartment for him. Seeing Johnston lying on the floor near a burning recliner in the living room, Short approached him and pulled him to his feet and to the unit’s back door. He then opened the door and dragged Johnston outside, moments before an explosive rush of flames engulfed the room. Johnston was hospitalized with first- and second-degree burns to his face, hands, and arms.
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