Duo Awarded For Saving Victim Trapped In Car Wash Machinery

ST. CHARLES, IL — On Sept. 30, at the St. Charles Auto Spa, somebody became stuck in the business' heavy operating machinery. The victim suffered physical injuries in the machine, worsening over time. The injuries would have been worse had it not been for Martha Rossdahl and Karlos Ingram.

The fire department was on the way, but time was of the essence; the victim was in serious trouble. Rossdahl and Ingram were customers, not employees, of the car wash, but moved into action. The Daily Herald reports that the two put their own safety at risk by removing the steel cover to the machine pit, which housed the emergency controls.

The pair was able to shut down the machine and worked to free the victim's leg. They began first aid, the Herald reported, until the emergency crew arrived.

The St. Charles Fire Department recognized Rossdahl and Ingram for their selflessness with the department's citizenship award. "Their actions, above and beyond the normal expectations of a bystander, saved the victim from further injury," the recommendation for the award read, written by the firefighters on shift when the incident happened.

Mayor Ray Rogina also recognized their actions, noting that many people "don't bother" to take care of each other.

Rossdahl and Ingram accepted the awards but Ingram was humble about the event, saying Rossdahl deserved most of the credit having acted as the catalyst of the rescue, the Herald reported.

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