Members of the public pull driver from car fire
Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service were called to a report of a car fire on the A44 between the Chapel House Roundabout and Southcombe Garage, Chipping Norton at approximately 8:05am on Monday 12 December 2011.
One fire engine from Chipping Norton and one fire engine from Hook Norton Fire Stations were mobilised, and upon their attendance it became evident that the car fire was as a result of a Road Traffic Collision between a single car and a tree.
Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames, and learned that a father and son in a passing car saw this car start smoking after the collision, stopping their own vehicle to heroically pull the driver of the crashed vehicle to safety.
Station Manager David Bray said “These two men acted with immense bravery in order to save the life of someone else. As they drove past the car they realised that the male driver was still in the vehicle and knew that they had to do something with the smoke that was pouring out of the bonnet.”
The son, Mr Kennedy, told Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service “I tried the driver’s door but it would not open and so I tried the passenger side but could not get him out this way as his legs were stuck. I then moved the drivers chair backwards, which released his legs and my father and I were able to drag him out of the back door. When I looked back the whole front of the car was alight, it was really hot.”
The male driver was slipping in and out of consciousness at the time, and was taken to hospital with unknown injuries, but it is thought they are not life threatening.
Station Manager David Bray also said “There is absolutely no doubt that these two men saved the drivers life, and I can not commend them enough for their actions. It is actually very rare that a car catches fire after being involved in a collision, but in this case the driver was very lucky that these two men were passing when they did.”
Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service would like to remind everyone taking to the road at this time of year to drive safely to prevent it becoming a Christmas that your family members will never forget for the wrong reasons.
