Kathleen Clark helped to save Kimberly A. Matthews from burning, Willard, Ohio, September 3, 1995. Ms. Matthews, 28, was trapped inside her car after a highway accident in which the car left the roadway, turned onto its passenger side, then broke into flame. While visiting at a nearby house, Ms. Clark, 38, postal worker, was alerted to the accident by a man who had driven by. They responded to the scene, where an off-duty firefighter who had arrived was attempting to extinguish the flames and remove Ms. Matthews. Ms. Clark extended her head and arms through the car’s back window and rolled down the rear window on the exposed side of the car as far as it would go; the firefighter then broke out the rest. As the firefighter and the other man reached through the window, grasped Ms. Matthews by the arms, and pulled, Ms. Clark fully entered the car through its back window, positioned herself against Ms. Matthews, and pushed. Flames by then had engulfed the front of the car and spread to the front seat. With difficulty, Ms. Clark and the two men removed Ms. Matthews through the side window, and she was taken to safety. Ms. Clark then left the car, the interior of which was shortly engulfed by flame. Ms. Matthews required hospitalization for numerous injuries sustained in the accident. Ms. Clark was treated at the emergency room for a laceration to her right wrist, from which she recovered.
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