Foundation Driller

Department of Transportation

11/8/1972

Special Act Award (Gold)

On the morning of November 8, 1972, Giles Engstrom, a Foundation Driller with District One, succeeded in saving the life of a Fortuna, California man involved in a fiery crash near Alton, California. The driver had lost control of his truck and crashed through the guard railing of the Van Duzen River Bridge, hitting the riverbed, landed upside down and burst into flames. The man was semiconscious and was lying part way through the open door of the cab, trapped in his burning pickup truck. Mr. Engstrom and a commercial truck driver had been following the driver on the highway. During the rescue operation, there was not only the possibility that the burning vehicle would explode, but the driver had also been carrying a considerable amount of ammunition containers that were discharging from within the truck. Nevertheless, Mr. Engstrom started out to rescue the driver, and the commercial truck driver ran to assist him. Both men approached to within a foot of flames rising eight feet from the ground. The heat was intense. Mr. Engstrom and the other rescuer quickly sprayed themselves with flame retardant from a fire extinguisher, then ran over and sprayed the victim with the retardant and safely removed him from the blazing pickup truck. Mr. Engstrom sustained minor burns, but both men were fortunate they did not get struck by all the projectiles flying around as they pulled the man from the cab, which quickly thereafter became engulfed in flames. In addition to the state’s Medal of Valor, Mr. Engstrom was presented with a letter of Commendation from the Public Works Director, a Certificate of Commendation by the Highway Patrol, and the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Award for his heroic acts. Mr. Engstrom highly deserved all the accolades for his courage in saving another’s life.