2 men saved from fiery crash in heroic rescue
Published: July 2, 2007
Off-duty firefighters, law officers and civilians pulled two men from their blazing, mangled car with only moments to spare on Ingraham Street last night, authorities said.
The 19-year-old passenger would have burned alive in the car if not for the rescuers, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Battalion Chief Ken Barnes.
The accident occurred in the Mission Bay Park area about 7:25 p.m. when the 18-year-old driver took a curve too fast from northbound Ingraham Street to Sea World Drive and slammed into a tree, police said. Battalion Chief Jimmy Fiero said a fire started in the engine compartment and quickly spread into the passenger area.
Off-duty San Diego firefighters T.J. Lockwood, Mark Tomasello and Kyle O’Neill, with off-duty San Diego police Officer Benjerwin Manansala, a Border Patrol officer and civilians got the driver out fast, but the passenger was trapped.
“There was a lot of fire and a lot of smoke, the tires and greasy engine were burning, and plastics in the dash made toxic fumes,” Fiero said. “It’s amazing they got them out.”
He said some of the rescuers crawled into the car, forced the seat to move and pushed the trapped man out. The victims were hospitalized, one with serious injuries, including a possibly broken thighbone.
However, Fiero said, no one suffered burns. Barnes said he planned to recommend commendations for all the rescuers.
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