James C. West, 30, lineman, saved Kenneth Sharp, 1, from burning, DeLand, Florida, March 1, 1943. While Kenneth was in a bedroom on the ground floor of a frame house, fire developed on the walls and ceiling of an adjoining living room. West entered the living room through an outside doorway, having no knowledge of the interior arrangements. In dense smoke he crawled to a crib, groped in it, but found it unoccupied. Guided by Kenneth’s cries, West crawled groping his way into the bedroom to Kenneth. Holding the child against his chest, he crawled into the living room, where flames were 18 inches from him and heat was intense, and thence to the outside door. Five minutes later the living room ceiling and walls collapsed. Neither West nor Kenneth was injured. 39830-3318
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39830-3318