Richard Ira Breedlove, 50, merchant, saved George T. Garrett, 50, merchant, from burning, Gratis, Georgia, November 18, 1954. Garrett, who was alone in his one-story frame house, went to the den at the rear of the dwelling and attempted to light a gas stove. An explosion occurred, and flames broke out at the stove and ignited the adjacent walls and ceiling. Garrett staggered backward from the stove and fell dazed to the floor. Hearing the explosion, a woman and two men who were passing by the house ran to a window of the den and saw Garrett. They continued to a side porch and opened the door of a bedroom adjoining the den. One man tried to enter the bedroom but was forced outside by dense smoke. Summoned to the house from his store, Breedlove joined the others at the side porch and was informed of Garrett’s location. Breedlove immediately dropped to his hands and knees and entered the bedroom. Keeping his face close to the floor and holding his breath for as long as he could, he crawled through the bedroom and a narrow six-foot passageway leading to the den. He could see only inches ahead of him because of the smoke, which caused him to choke. Breedlove saw that the walls and ceiling near the stove were burning fiercely. Heat was intense. Groping toward the flames, Breedlove found Garrett, who was unconscious, and got hold of one cuff of his trousers. He dragged Garrett to the bedroom and thence through the outside doorway to the side porch. The flames spread rapidly to the other rooms and destroyed the house. Garrett, who was revived, suffered severe respiratory effects from the smoke and was hospitalized a month. Breedlove’s face and hands were reddened by heat but healed normally. 43322-3966
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