Paul H. Stoudt, 33, cook, rescued Earl C. Hilbert, 44, truck driver, from burning, Sellersville, Pennsylvania, December 9, 1965. To avoid an accident, Hilbert swerved his 40 foot tractor-trailer from the highway, and it plunged into a ravine eight feet deep and stopped with the trailer section tilted upward. Some of the steel I-beams on the trailer slid forward and sheared off the top of the cab, while one of the two fuel tanks under the seat was ruptured. As flames broke out inside the cab, Hilbert, who had been thrown forward onto the hood and had sustained a broken shoulder, tried to crawl away from the flames but could not because his feet were caught. Stoudt ran 150 feet to the ravine, where others had gathered but were making no attempt to aid Hilbert. Running to the front of the hood, Stoudt extended his bands toward the three-foot flames which filled most of the cab, took hold of Hilbert under the armpits, and pulled. He called for assistance, and one man ran to him but immediately withdrew because of the intense heat. Bracing his feet against the bumper, Stoudt jerked forcibly and freed Hilbert. He then aided him up the bank. About two minutes later the flames spread over a wide area and increased to as much as 20 feet in height. Hilbert was hospitalized for his injuries and severe burns on his legs but recovered. Stoudt suffered burns on his hands and arm, which healed.
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