William E. Weissbach helped attempt to save Scott W. Handschin from an impending explosion, South Farmingdale, New York, July 22, 1980. Handschin, 25, was pinned in his subcompact automobile after it had flipped onto its driver’s side in an accident. Gasoline flowed from the auto’s fuel tank. Weissbach, 52, retired firefighters forced open the passenger door with the help of another man and attempted to reach Handschin, without success. Weissbach and three other men then pushed the auto upright to extract Handschin when an explosion engulfed it in flames and knocked all four men away. Handschin was blown onto the pavement by the blast. He and Weissbach were hospitalized for extensive and severe burns.
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