Hipple to receive Carnegie Medal

Staff report

PITTSBURGH

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission has named Warren policeman Douglas L. Hipple as one of 19 new recipients of the Carnegie Medal for risking his life to save three women whose group home on Bonnie Brae Avenue Northeast caught on fire in 2009.

The heroes announced this week bring to 64 the number of awards made in 2010 and to 9,391 the number of awards since the Pittsburgh-based fund’s inception in 1904.

Each of the awardees or their next of kin will receive a grant of $5,000 and eligibility for scholarships.

Throughout the 106 years since the fund was established by industrialist- philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, $32.7 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits and continuing assistance.

Hipple was on duty in his Warren patrol car before dawn April 28, 2009, when he was alerted to a fire at the home occupied by Donna Cassidy, 52; Sheree J. Egry, 52; and Melissa S. Watson, 44; and entered the home to rescue them. The women were in upstairs bedrooms.

All four were overcome by smoke and had to be rescued from the second floor by firefighters. Watson later died.

The fire, which began on the front porch, was ruled an arson, but the investigation continues.

Hipple’s burns covered 14 percent of his body. He returned to work briefly in 2009 but is back off work because of injuries related to the fire.