Carl Casey Loando saved Helen Choy from burning, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 27, 2011. Choy, 85, was inside her one-story house after fire broke out in an enclosed porch and spread. Loando, 54, land survey technician, was working in the area and responded to the scene after seeing smoke there. He saw Choy’s husband at a doorway in the house’s carport and learned from him that Choy remained inside the burning structure. Loando entered the house through that door, which opened into a hall, and, crawling, penetrated dense smoke, which did not allow visibility. Hearing Choy faintly call for help, he crawled in her direction, reaching her in the hall about 20 feet from the door. Loando stood and, grasping Choy underneath the arms, dragged her to the door and outside to the carport. As he moved her down a ramp to ground level, the line to an oxygen mask that Choy was wearing impeded their progress. Loando’s coworker responded to the carport and removed the line, and he and Loando took Choy the rest of the way down the ramp. Nearly overcome by smoke, Loando exited the carport for air as Choy was taken to safety. Flames grew quickly to engulf the house as well as a car parked in the carport. Choy and Loando both required hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.
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