Robert E. Carroll, 41, community development specialist, attempted to save Ivan Haakanson, four months, from burning, Old Harbor, Alaska, February 12, 1965. Fire broke out in a partition between the kitchen and the living room of a one-story frame dwelling; and the other children ran outside, leaving Ivan in one of the bedrooms. The children’s shouts attracted the parents and others, including Carroll. He learned of Ivan’s location and ran to the rear door. Through the windows he could see flames in the kitchen. He opened the door, and dense smoke issued through the opening. Carroll crawled into the dwelling briefly and then obtained a blanket, which be soaked in water and put over his head. In a prone position with his face near the floor he re-entered the house and crawled six feet to the kitchen. Coughing from the smoke, Carroll continued crawling toward Ivan’s room. He could hear the flames but could not see them. Heat became intense. Carroll was unable to breathe properly and became very dazed. Meanwhile others had broken some windows, and the air improved smoke and heat conditions but fanned the flames. A man crawled into the dwelling from the rear door and found Carroll inert on the floor. The man dragged Carroll outside. The flames destroyed the dwelling completely. Ivan was burned to death. Carroll recovered.
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