Former Shropshire woman gets award for heroics after saving motorist from wrecked car as it exploded in Texas

Caroline Frost, known to her husband and colleagues as 'Jack' Frost, has been presented with the Medal of Valor by the Westlake Fire Department.

The drama happened on the birthday of her father, Telford local historian and author Allan Frost, and he only learned of it when modest heroine Caroline mentioned it in passing when ringing him to wish him many happy returns.

Lieutenant Frost was on her way to a conference in Austin, Texas, when she came across a crash involving four or five vehicles.

She immediately swung into action to take control of the situation and get people off the road to safety, before going across four lanes of traffic to attend to an injured woman unable to get out of a car.

Mike Elliott, fire chief of Westlake Fire Department, said: "Her vehicle had struck the concrete median divider and was perpendicular to the divider.

"As she began to render aid, she heard popping sounds coming from the engine compartment, followed by smoke. Realising there was imminent danger, she called to the uninjured driver to assist her as she reached into the car to move the woman's legs from the driver's footwell – she was screaming she couldn't move one of her legs – and dragged her clear of the driver's door just as the engine compartment made an explosive sound and burst into flames.

"With assistance from the other driver they picked her up and ran with her across the road while carrying her to reduce further injury. The other uninjured parties had stopped traffic to allow them to get her off the road to safety."

The accident had been at 7.30am on March 23 last year on eastbound 290 near Sunset Valley.

The Medal of Valor is for acts beyond the call of duty to save life or property and was presented to Caroline by Mike at the Fire Department annual awards banquet.

Allan, from Priorslee, said: "Caroline never ceases to surprise me and seldom tells me exactly what she's achieved. The rescue of the motorist apparently entailed her giving a fireman's lift across several lanes of traffic and, after emergency services arrived to take control of the situation, she got back into her own vehicle and arrived at the conference as if nothing had happened.

"It was only when she rang me later in the day to wish me a happy birthday that she mentioned the event to me. Even then, I had to coax details from her, and all she said was 'it was just part of the job'.

"I'm very proud of her – and relieved. She could have perished or been seriously injured. The significance of the medal is greater because it was my birthday, but it could so easily have been a date to forget rather than one to remember."

Caroline, who was born in May 1972, was a pupil at Wrockwardine Wood secondary school, then took A-levels at Newport Girls' High School. She emigrated to Texas in 1998, and has risen through the ranks to be a Lieutenant at the Westlake Fire Department.

Husband Anthony Flood said: "She is the second-ever recipient of this prestigious award. I'm very proud of her."