On the afternoon of May 8, 1987, while travelling along Highway 417 near the Maxville, Ontario exit, Col. Victor Lanctis rescued a woman from a fiery auto collision. Two cars had crashed head-on and were on fire when Col. Lanctis arrived at the scene. One of the cars was engulfed in flames and impossible to approach but a passenger was still trapped in the other vehicle. The driver had already been helped out, but was still in danger from the spreading fuel. Col. Lanctis immediately moved her to safety, then ran to his own car to get a blanket which he wrapped around himself. He tried to enter the burning vehicle where an elderly woman was caught between the passenger seat and the dashboard, but was forced back by the intensifying heat and fumes. Twice more he entered the vehicle, finally succeeding in pulling the woman out of the car and dragging her to safety, where he administered first aid.