Police officer rescues driver from burning semi in Little Cottonwood Canyon
On Monday morning, a fiery rollover crash off state Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon closed the road for hours, leading to a daring rescue. A dramatic rescue attempt took place following a rollover accident off state Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, which closed the road for hours. A Unified police officer from the Canyon Patrol Unit, officer Wilson, ran into the flames to rescue a driver trapped in the burning semitruck. Wilson arrived solo on the scene without fire-protectant gear and was identified as the hero. Witnesses described the driver's head popping out of the wreckage, and his arm was broken in multiple places. The driver is being treated for multiple injuries but is on the way to recovery.
Được phát hành : 10 tháng trước qua Deseret Digital Media trong Auto
SALT LAKE CITY — On Monday morning, a fiery rollover crash off state Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon closed the road for hours.
Witnesses didn't think anyone could have survived the explosion, but one Unified police officer ran into the flames to make a daring rescue. A supervisor from the Unified Police Department identified officer Wilson from the Canyon Patrol Unit as the hero who rushed in to rescue a driver pinned in the burning semitruck.
"The officer was super humble and didn't expect anything from the whole thing; he just went in there not knowing the situation. He didn't know if the guy was alive or dead. The officer put himself at risk. That level of courage is what you want in a police officer. He is amazing. He is a hero," said Justin Morgan, a witness who called 911.
Wilson arrived solo on the scene with no fire-protectant gear.
"As soon as we said the driver was still in there, (officer Wilson) ran into the woods," Morgan said. "My friends and I went to the scene and thought 'Absolutely not, we're not going in there.' We were worried the driver was dead."
"And there were flames everywhere. Both trees, on either side of the wreckage, had flames that went up 100 feet." Morgan said.
Wilson led the way with courage, and witnesses took action.
"(The driver's) head was popping out of the wreckage. The officer cleared an area. The driver was covered in blood with an arm broken in multiple places," Morgan said.
The officer put himself at risk. That level of courage is what you want in a police officer. He is amazing. He is a hero.
Morgan and four others held fire extinguishers from witnesses' emergency car kits.
After three minutes, Morgan and Wilson pulled the driver from the flaming semi.
"We put him under our arms and carried him out 100 yards to the road. We sat him on a rock and put water in his eyes." Morgan said. "Without this officer jumping in there — none of this would have happened."
Witnesses described the scene as a semitruck with a 40-foot trailer that had been crushed, flattened and engulfed in flames.
Those passing by said the semitruck's brakes overheated near Lisa Falls in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Witnesses said the big rig hit the side of the canyon, was launched into the air and exploded on landing.
"The semi was going so fast, and the flames were hot and violent," Morgan said. "During the rescue, we were standing on the cab but it felt flat from the damage."
On Tuesday, officials said the driver was being treated for multiple injuries but on the path to recovery.