Joel J. Schuneman helped to rescue Robert C. and Deanna M. Boer from burning, Dearborn, Michigan, July 16, 2002. Boer and his wife, both 34, were in their two-story house when an explosion of leaking natural gas occurred in the basement and severely burned them. A neighbor, Schuneman, 40, communications engineer, was arriving home after work about then and was alerted to the explosion. He and another neighbor immediately ran to the house, which had been structurally compromised and from which basement flames were issuing through the windows. Escaping gas was continuing to burn as they entered the house, Schuneman through the front door after kicking it in and the other man through a window in the living room. While the other man approached Boer, who was on a couch in the living room, and dragged him to the front door, Schuneman proceeded into the kitchen, where he saw Ms. Boer emerge from the basement stairway. Schuneman guided Ms. Boer toward the living room before turning to search the house for other occupants. Returning to the living room, he helped the other man take Boer to the front lawn, Ms. Boer likewise removed to the safety of that point. Boer and his wife required hospitalization for treatment of extensive burns. Schuneman inhaled smoke, and he recovered.
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