Thomas D. Turner, III

Thomas D. Turner III attempted to rescue Mary White and others from burning, Yonkers, New York, May 15, 1991. Miss White, 53, and others were in their apartments in a four-story building when fire broke out in the living room of Miss White’s second-floor unit. Alerted to the fire, Turner, 26, immediately entered the building, although he suffered from asthma, and tried to gain access to Miss White’s locked apartment. He then ran to the third and fourth floors to warn others. Returning to the third floor to help a woman, 35, and her sons, 11 and 17, to flee, Turner and they became trapped in the apartment as smoke and flames not only increased in the building but blocked an exterior fire escape to which they had access. They were rescued by the fire department and treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation, and Turner for cuts, as well. He recovered. Miss White sustained severe burns and died about two weeks later.