A sheriff’s deputy was honored Wednesday for saving the lives of two people who were threatened by a fire that ignited when their truck got stuck near the Knolls Fire south of Provo, Utah.

Utah County Deputy Sheriff John Thomas saw the new fire at about 9 p.m. June 28 and observed two people running from it. One was badly burned and was flown to a hospital after Thomas rescued him.

It turns out that during an attempt to cut a fence to bypass a road closed by the Knolls Fire, their truck got stuck and leaked gas which ignited and started the fire south of Saratoga Springs on State Road 68. Thomas saved their lives.