On June 15, 2003, Li Juntao, deputy political instructor from a base's guards company of the air force of the Guangzhou Military Area Command asked for leave in order to visit his daughter who was sick in Wuhan City. At about 15:15 that day, on his way back to the barrack, Li saw the fifth floor of a building on the other side of the road was on fire.

　　"Help! Fire!" Li cried loudly, at the same time he ran frantically towards the building. At that time, some residents were rushing down along the staircase in the building in a panic. Li found thick smoke coming out from a door and he broke into the room. Several residents followed him, carring water with basin and bucket. Li said "It is dangerous inside, let me go in and see whether there is any person inside first." Pouring a basin of water on himself he rushed through the fire with out hesitation. Fumbled in a room, he found a little girl crying and a granny was knocked down in bed by smoke. Li carried the little girl outside first and then the granny.

　　When Li rushed into the room for the fifth time, some of his hair was burned and he started to vomit. An inhabitant said "comrade, you'd better have a rest and let us do the rest." "I am familiar with the situation, let me in."Li said.　When Li came out through the fire again, the granny who had just been recued cried "the water kettle was on fire in the kitchen, take out of the gas tank quick!"

　　If the gas tank exploded, the result would be terrible. Li once again poured cold water on himself and rushed into the house again.

　　The air conditioner and sofa were on fire in the living room, and the thick smoke almost choked Li.　He found the cooking gas tank and turned it off. When he took the gas tank across the living room, the air conditioner exploded and some fragment hit on his head. He was thrown out of the room by hot air.

　　Li who was now covered with blood dragged the gas tank out of the fire and the inhabitants were carrying water to put out the fire. At that time Li was vomiting seriously… 10 minutes later, the fire was finally put out.

　　Li lost consciousness when the people were clearing the spot. He was sent immediately to hospital. With more than 2 hours' rescue operation, he came to.

　　In order to forward the spirit of gallantly rising to the occasion, recently the base of the air force of the Guangzhou Military Area Command granted Li Juntao a second-class merit citation.

　　By Guo Kai, Fan Haisong and Li Bin

　　(September 22, PLA Daily)