Charles Richmond Grover, 43, welding supervisor, saved Joseph L. Dutra, 45, shipfitter, from suffocation, San Francisco, California, September 17, 1956. While Dutra and a welder were working 40 feet inside a tubular spud three feet in diameter, the hose of the welder’s oxygen-acetylene torch ruptured following an explosion, creating 18-inch flames which blocked passage to the open end. Dutra and the welder moved toward the closed end by crawling through and then blocking the 18-inch opening which connected each compartment of the spud. A half an hour later smoke and gas began seeping into the compartment they occupied; and the welder, who was wearing leather clothing, started toward the open end to summon aid. Reaching the flames, which had moved into succeeding compartments as additional breaks occurred along the hose, he plunged through them into the next section and then extinguished the fire by kinking the hose to shut off the gas momentarily. He continued to the outside, where he shut off the gas and withdrew the hose. His calls for help attracted Grover, whom he informed of the accident. After calling to others to summon additional aid, Grover entered with an air hose which he held to his face to counteract the gas and smoke. He crawled 50 feet through the compartment openings and reached Dutra, who was unconscious. Grover placed the hose near Dutra’s face and began artificial respiration. The bad air and the exertion occasionally made Grover dizzy, but by briefly holding the air hose to his own face he was able with difficulty to continue his efforts, and in 15 minutes Dutra began to revive. Meanwhile others had tried without success to enter the spud, and a chemist who had tested the air 10 feet inside the open end found it contained a combustible and explosive gas concentration. Workmen drilled three small holes, one of them directly over Dutra, and inserted another air hose. A suction fan was put into operation and after the chemist pronounced the air safe two men entered and aided Grover in bringing Dutra out after he had regained consciousness. Dutra suffered from bruises, cuts, and inhalation of gas and smoke. Grover, who had been in the spud 80 minutes, was tired, nervous, and suffered temporary irritation of the nose and throat. Both recovered. 43982-4122
43982 – 4122
43982-4122