James T. Nagy, 25, miner, saved John W. Burns, 40, miner, from suffocation, New Eagle, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1967. In a coal mine Burns, Nagy, another miner, and the foreman were at an intersection of passageways when a fall of coal and shale occurred. The foreman was fatally crushed, and Burns, attempting to escape, was trapped when he fell and his feet became engulfed by the edge of the debris pile forming from the fall. Nagy, who with the other miner was clear of the fall, made his way around the pile and into another passageway. He then saw that Burns was pinned under the edge of the fallen material, the sliding debris creeping up his thighs. Nagy ran back to alongside Burns. There still was some fall occurring at the opposite side of the intersection, and material from it continued to slide down the side of the pile. Nagy removed debris from one leg of Burns. He then stepped to a position astride Burns and began removing debris from his other leg. A block of shale slid down the pile, struck Nagy on the shoulder, and came to rest across the leg of Burns. Nagy lifted the block from Burns and then uncovered most of his leg. More sliding was heard at the top of the pile, which was about 12 feet high at its peak. Stepping away from the pile, Nagy took hold of Burns under the armpits. He then was Joined by the other miner, who had made his way around the debris. Nagy, aided by the other miner, pulled Burns free of the debris.
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