Danny Ray Mangum rescued Cynthia A. Jones from burning, Carrboro, North Carolina, August 15, 2002. Cynthia, 17, was suspended by her safety belt in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck that had overturned onto its roof and caught fire in a highway accident. Driving on the same highway, Mangum, 42, towing company operator, arrived at the scene shortly after the accident and saw Cynthia inside the pickup. He used a fire extinguisher against the flames on the truck, but to no effect. Despite blistering heat inside the cab and flames beginning to enter there, Mangum extended his upper body through the window of the driver’s door but could not reach the release for Cynthia’s safety belt. He then pulled on the belt, loosening it sufficiently for Cynthia to free herself from it. Mangum grasped Cynthia by the arm and pulled her from the truck, which was shortly engulfed by flames. Cynthia was hospitalized a week for treatment of severe burns to her back and other injuries. Mangum sustained minor burns to his right arm, and he recovered.
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