East Bay Woman Recognized For Saving Elderly Neighbor From Fire

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — An Antioch woman was awarded a Carnegie Hero medal Tuesday from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District for the life-saving actions she took when a fire broke out Feb. 17, 2018 in the apartment of her elderly neighbor.

Samantha Olive Barnhouse, 30, received the award — presented on behalf of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission — during Tuesday's Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Board of Directors meeting, ConFire Spokesman Steve Hill said in a news release.

According to the citation, alerted to the fire, 30-year-old Barnhouse, who lived across the street from 78-year-old Lobis Burton, entered the apartment.

"Moving past the burning kitchen to reach Burton sitting in a wheeled desk chair in a bedroom and unable to move due to an injured hip, Barnhouse pulled the desk chair through the bedroom and into the hall as flames and smoke intensified.
"She moved the chair past the kitchen and to the front door, where it became stuck. Pulling on the chair to free it, Barnhouse and Burton fell through the outside door, beneath flames raging overhead."

Within moments of the rescue, the fire intensified and the apartment’s windows shattered due to the heat, according to Hill

Burton was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and a broken hip, but he was not burned. Barnhouse was also treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation; both have since recovered, Hill said.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1904 and still carries out his wishes by awarding the Carnegie Medal throughout the U.S. and Canada.