B.C. man who rescued children from house fire awarded Carnegie medal for extraordinary heroism
James Giles of Terrace twice ran into his neighbour's burning home to rescue two children
A Terrace man is among 20 people who have been awarded a Carnegie medal for "extraordinary heroism" by the U.S.-based Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
James Giles twice ran into his neighbour's burning home in the northwestern B.C. city to rescue two children in October 2016.
"It's humbling, that's for sure," he said Tuesday. "I didn't do it for money or recognition. It was life or death and a decision had to be made."
Giles said he received a letter a while ago informing him of the nomination, although he still doesn't know who nominated him.
The house fire
Visibility in the burning home was limited by dense smoke, forcing Giles to cover his face with his shirt during the rescue.
"He moved forward into the house and found the boy on a stairway to the basement ... Giles partially descended the stairway and grasped the boy, then took him outside to safety," his citation said.
"Giles re-entered the house and, retracing his steps, found the girl on the stairway going up to the upper floor. Giles picked up the girl and exited the house with her."
Giles, who works as a construction safety officer, was treated for smoke inhalation.
Along with the medal, he'll also receive an undisclosed financial grant.
The Hero Fund commission was created and funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie in 1904. Since then, roughly $39 million has been awarded to around 10,000 heroes or their families.
With files from Rhianna Schmunk