V. Thomas Hayes, Sr., helped to save Evelyn B.K. Ingoldsby from burning, Byrnes Mill, Missouri, September 9, 2018. Ingoldsby, 56, was in the family room of her one-story house when an explosion in the basement leveled the structure. Ingoldsby’s husband was trapped beneath debris, and Ingoldsby called out for help. Responding from a neighboring house were Hayes, 66, retired mechanic, and his son-in-law. Shirtless, Hayes dug through debris at the front of the house and found a small opening to gain access to the collapsed home’s interior. Hayes then crawled inside the home’s family room and advanced to Ingoldsby, who resisted leaving her husband. Hayes grasped Ingoldsby’s clothing and pulled her toward the front of the house, then became stuck in knee-deep rubble as fire spread through the house’s main level. Hayes’s son-in-law helped to free him and arriving authorities ultimately aided Ingoldsby to safety shortly before flames grew to engulf the house and ammunition stored within the home exploded. Arriving firefighters were unable to make immediate entry to rescue Ingoldsby’s husband, who was trapped inside and did not survive. Ingoldsby, who was not burned, went to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Hayes injured his left shoulder and had cuts to his legs. 90068-10150
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