John N. Miller, 36, rigger, died attempting to save Alfred G., 4, and Shirley Ann Arner, 2, from burning, Aquashicola, Pennsylvania, November 24, 1949. Alfred and Shirley Ann were trapped on the second floor of their home when fire broke out and filled the top of a stairway leading to the first floor, preventing the mother of the children from reaching them. Miller was attracted and ran 75 feet to the house and entered it. Covering his head and face with a rug soaked in water, he ran upstairs to a hallway leading to the bedrooms and then was obscured by flames. Flames descended the stairway to the first floor. A man who climbed to the roof of the front porch and saw dense flames and smoke in two of the bedrooms called for Miller but received no response. From the back of the house Miller’s leg was observed protruding from an upstairs window. Firemen arrived but were unable to enter, the first and second floors collapsing a short time later. The bodies of Miller and the children were found close together in the basement. 3650-41862
41862 – 3650
41862-3650