Louis P. Dalitto, 38, milk deliveryman, saved Richard Samudio, 7, and attempted to save Saul, 2, and Maria E. Flores, 1, from burning and suffocation, Chicago, Illinois, October 28, 1959. Fire broke out in the kitchen at the rear of a basement apartment where Richard, Saul, and Maria were alone while the mother of the Flores children was away briefly. Dalitto was attracted by smoke issuing from the dwelling as the flames spread through the kitchen and adjacent bedroom. Learning from the mother that three children were inside, Dalitto pushed open the front door and crawled into the hallway, where heat and smoke were severe. He felt his way 15 feet along the hall, moving around an unlit furnace, and found Richard 10 feet from the kitchen door. Dalitto crawled back to the front door with Richard and handed him outside. He felt giddy from the smoke but, after inhaling some fresh air, reentered the apartment. Groping along the opposite side of the hall, he reached an open doorway and mistakenly crawled through it into the living room. Before he could find his way out, Dalitto lost consciousness. Firemen arrived and found the entrance to the rear of the apartment blocked by the spreading flames. Using hoses, they entered the front door and removed Dalitto. Maria, who was found in the kitchen, and Saul, who was in the adjoining bedroom, could not be revived. Firemen administered oxygen to Dalitto and removed him to a hospital, where he regained consciousness two hours later. He recovered. 44873-4319
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44873-4319