A driver was dramatically rescued in the nick of time from a vehicle that was being consumed by flames. The intense video shows deputies in Texas attempting to pull the man out from the window as the fire coming from the hood of the car filled it with thick, billowing smoke. First responders knew that it was only a matter of minutes before the man was going to burned alive.
Driver initially resisted being rescued by first responders
On August 4 at approximately 5:00 p.m., deputies in Wise County responded to a call concerning a suspicious vehicle that was driving erratically near the Methodist Church Camp site in Bridgeport, as reported by WFAA. Officials say that the car was seen driving further into the woods.
The footage, posted by the Wise County Sheriff’s Office on its Facebook page, shows the police first using a drone to locate the vehicle in the forest. They were assisted by the Bridgeport Police Department, Texas DPS, Wise County Constables, Fire, and EMS. But when deputies reached the gray vehicle that was down a steep embankment, it was already in flames.
One officer struck the driver’s side window multiple times with his baton, cracking it so that the man could be pulled out, suggesting that the door was locked or otherwise would not open. Several officers shouted at the driver that he needed to get out, but the seemingly disoriented man resisted. Despite their best efforts, the victim was still trapped in the front seat, with one deputy asking if other responders had a fire extinguisher.
Fortunately, the video then cuts forward about two minutes with the deputies successfully dragging the man out of the vehicle, after they reportedly battled triple-digit heat and a small explosion.
“He’s safe, he’s safe,” one deputy says in relief, “We got him. We got him. We got the passenger out of the car.”
Due to the extent of his injuries and burns, the driver was taken to a hospital by medical helicopter. Two deputies were transported to a hospital as well for possible smoke inhalation, according to Wise County Deputy Chief Eric Debus.
“They put themselves at risk to help a complete stranger who did not even want the help,” Debus said. “But they weren’t going to give up. Even as bad as the video looks, it was worse.”
