J. Maxwell Morton saved Alice B. Hinson from burning, Albemarle, North Carolina, April 30, 1962. At night fire broke out above the ceiling of a one-story frame dwelling where Mrs. Hinson, 81, who was paralyzed from a stroke, and other members of the family were asleep. Morton, 41, merchant, noticed the flames and drove to the dwelling, sounding the horn of his automobile continuously. Flames then covered the roof, some gusts rising 10 feet. Aware that Mrs. Hinson was bedfast, Morton entered the dwelling by way of a well-house and a screened porch. Mrs. Hinson’s daughter, awakened by the horn, saw Morton and called to him to get her mother while she roused the others . Morton ran through a hallway, where flames already had begun to burn through the ceiling, and entered the bedroom. He saw Mrs. Hinson’s husband and urged him to leave at once. Morton then ran to Mrs. Hinson’s bed, lifted her from it, and carried her into the hall. Meanwhile all others except the husband had left the dwelling. Passing beneath overhead flames as small embers dropped about them, Morton carried Mrs. Hinson to the well house and thence from the dwelling. Flames 10 to15 feet high then covered the entire roof. Mrs. Hinson’s husband reached the well-house and was aided from it by a neighbor. Soon afterward the roof began to collapse. Firemen could not save the dwelling, which burned completely.
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