Dennis Worth Nelson saved Tony D. Huckabee from burning, Brewster, Washington, January 31, 1967. Tony, 5, and his four-year-old brother were left alone in a bedroom of a one-story frame dwelling, where fire broke out around the chimney between the living room and the dining room. Nelson, 20, truck driver, who was driving by, saw flames on the roof around the chimney and noted that the house was filled with smoke. When he saw Tony at the picture window of the living room, Nelson ran to the front door. Finding it locked, he ran to the door of the kitchen, which adjoined the dining room. He forced that door open, and dense hot smoke poured out. Nelson crouched, entered the kitchen, and made his way 16 feet to the dining room, where the smoke was heavier and heat was intense. Flames were spreading from the chimney along the wall in each room and extended from floor to ceiling. Hearing Tony’s cries, Nelson moved toward the sound, passing the flames and brushing against the dining room table. He moved 12 feet to the living room and then continued 15 feet farther to Tony. Nelson picked Tony up and made his way back to the kitchen door, passing within three feet of the spreading flames. He emerged from the dwelling with Tony, who said that his brother still was inside. Questioning Tony, Nelson learned that the brother was in a rear bedroom. Nelson and another man ran to the kitchen door, but flames blocked their path. They ran to the rear of the house, but the windows were too high above the ground to be reached. Firemen arrived, extinguished the flames, and removed the body of Tony’s brother. Tony had lost much of his hair and had a minor burn on his head. Nelson’s hair was singed.
49379 – 5350
49379-5350