Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: June 16, 2005
• Invested on: December 02, 2005

On January 25, 2004, at a gas plant near Manning, Alberta, William Connoly rescued a welder who was trapped in the burning gas compressor he was repairing. Sparks from a cutting torch had ignited the vapours contained in a discharge bottle, sending flames shooting out of the vessel located below the floor. The victim was immediately engulfed in flames, helplessly trapped in the burning pit. Without hesitation, Mr. Connoly jumped into the hole, grabbed hold of his colleague and lifted him up onto the floor. With bare hands, he attempted to smother the flames that consumed the man's body, inflicting severe burns to his own hands, arms and face. Unable to extinguish the re-igniting flames, he then carried the victim out of the building and rolled him into the snow, to put out the fire.