(Editor’s Note: The following article was published in the Williamsport Sun in March 1936)

Thirty-one persons were trapped in a building on fire in the block between Laurel and William streets during the flood of 1936. The fire was the result of an explosion. At the time of the fire flood waters had reached a level of about seven feet at Third and William streets.

Lycoming County Sheriff Joseph Mertz, in the jail across the street from the burning building, saw the danger of the blaze, immediately unlocked all cells in the county prison, brought out all the inmates and told them to scream as loud as they could for boats.

With no boats in sight, Sheriff Mertz then asked for a volunteer from among the prisoners who would risk their life by swimming back to Fourth Street through the strong current to signal a boat.

Harvey Aungst promptly volunteered as was about to jump into the current when Thomas Lynn Jr. appeared with a motor boat.

Lynn and four prisoners, John Huffman, Woodrow Styers, Harry Coxhead and Paul Reneau rescued 18 people from a second-story window and transported them across the raging current in the street to the jail.