On September 20, 1997, William Moreau rescued a woman from a car that had caught fire after hitting a cenotaph in Waverley, Ontario. Despite his fear of an explosion, Mr. Moreau hurried to the scene and through heavy smoke, saw four people trapped inside the burning wreck. Disregarding the flames which enveloped the vehicle, he tried to open the driver's door but only succeeded in bending the frame and pulling the window partially down. With burned hands, he then reached inside, grabbed a woman under the arms and pulled her out and away from the blaze. Tragically, the inferno claimed the lives of the other victims.