Carl A. Hagen rescued JoAnne, R. Alan, and SheriAnne Moore from burning, Jacksonville, Florida, October 13, 1964. At night a blowout caused the Moore’s two-door sedan, driven by the father, to strike a light standard, badly stunning the occupants and rupturing the fuel tank. Flames broke out inside the vehicle, which stopped on a grass-covered traffic island of the highway. The father got out and wandered away in a daze. Hagen, 42, salesman, ran from a nearby motel to the door of the sedan which was open. The flames were spreading rapidly and lapped about Mrs. Moore’s head. Heat was intense, and smoke rose above the doorway. Hagen extended both arms close to flames, removed Mrs. Moore, 23. and dragged her 10 feet away. Returning to the automobile, he removed Alan, 3, from under the dashboard. When Hagen once more ran back to the sedan, its interior nearly was filled with lapping flames. He saw SheriAnne, 1, on the floor behind the front seat, her body and clothing on fire. Hagen pushed down the front seat backrest, placed one foot on the floor, and reached into the tongues of flame. As he picked up SheriAnne and turned, his shoe became wedged under the seat. Jerking his foot out of the shoe, Hagen moved away from the sedan with SheriAnne and extinguished the flames on her. SheriAnne and Mrs. Moore, who had sustained a broken arm, suffered extensive burns but recovered after lengthy hospitalization. Hagen sustained burns to his hands which healed in three weeks.
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