From The Archives: Two AHL Stars Help in Fire Rescue

ST. CATHARINES, Ont.

Two American Hockey League players participated in a dramatic rescue of three children from a burning home in St. Catharines last month.

Center Ed Hoekstra, 28, of the Quebec Aces and defenseman Frank Martin, 32, of the Cleveland Barons, were working on the erection of a new home when they noticed smoke billowing from the residence of Watson Clemens.

Hoekstra and Martin, with another construction worker Ted Troscinski, 39, had difficulty opening the locked front door but Hoekstra finally smashed the door panel with a brick.

Intense heat and smoke drove them back but they gained entrance at the rear of the house by chopping a hole through the wall with an axe.

Six-year-old Colin Clemens was pulled through the narrow opening and seconds later they assisted 18-year-old Peggy Clemens through the same gap.

Firemen later rescued three-year-old Caroline Nannassi, a niece of the Clemens family.

Two-year-old Brian Clemens was suffocated in his crib before help arrived.

The three rescued children were placed in intensive care at the St. Catharines General Hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation. All were released within a week. 

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