Michael S. Hatfield saved Alexandra C. Hatley from burning, Pasco, Washington, October 5, 2009. Alexandra, 12, was a passenger in the rear seat of an automobile that was involved in an accident on an interstate highway. The car immediately caught fire, as did the other vehicle, located about 10 feet away, that was involved in the collision. Severely injured and rendered unconscious, Alexandra lay on the seat as flames issued from the undercarriage of the vehicle. One of the motorists who stopped at the scene, Hatfield, 45, training specialist, approached the driver’s side of the car containing Alexandra. He leaned into it through the rear door and worked to free Alexandra from her safety belt. Hatfield then lifted Alexandra, pulled her from the vehicle, and carried her to the median. Flames grew quickly to enter the car’s back-seat area and then engulf the car. Alexandra was taken to the hospital, where she died the next day of her injuries.
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