A police officer in Athens, Ga. is being hailed a hero for pulling a man from a burning SUV.
Body cam footage captured the harrowing incident of Athens-Clarke County police officer Dan Whitney responding to the scene in the early morning of Aug. 18.
READ MORE: Video shows Alaska police rescue man from burning vehicle
A 911 caller reported a bad wreck outside his home, saying the vehicle had hit a tree and burst into flames.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, it’s going to blow up,” the caller told dispatchers. “This car’s about to blow up.”
Whitney’s body camera video showed the front end of the vehicle already engulfed in flames when he arrived, with a male passenger hanging out a small window in the rear of the vehicle pleading for help.
The collision was so intense, the entire frame of the SUV was bent, jamming the vehicle’s doors.
READ MORE: Man pulls driver from burning car moments after crash
At one point in the video, Whitney attempted to put out the fire with a small fire extinguisher on the ground nearby.
“I need a fire extinguisher or a garden hose,” Whitney is heard yelling to a nearby homeowner. “Get a garden hose!”
Unable to douse the flames, the officer smashed the vehicle’s window to let smoke escape the cabin.
Whitney attempted to force open the rear passenger door again, before furiously trying to pull the passenger through the small rear window.
Suddenly, the video captures a small explosion beneath the hood of the vehicle, sending Whitney’s body camera and hat flying.
As the camera swings around, Whitney can be heard saying, “Get him down by the road.”
Moments later the camera stabilizes and shows the injured victims resting safely on the ground.
Police confirmed the driver of the vehicle was killed in the crash.
Comments