By Madeleine Marr
Miami Herald
WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — A driver narrowly escaped with his life the other day as his car was engulfed in flames on the Space Coast in Florida.
The horrifying incident was caught on camera with bodycam footage, according to a Thursday post from the West Melbourne Police Department.
A Facebook post says that officers from WMPD and the Palm Bay Police Department were already on site of a Hampton Inn regarding an investigation when they were alerted to a car on fire at around 10:30 a.m.
“Flames were visible as the officers approached the vehicle, which appeared to have crashed,” says the FB release. “They also observed smoke billowing out, making it difficult for the officers to determine if anyone was inside. As they approached they could hear someone calling for help.”
The camera starts rolling as four cops surround the dark-colored SUV, its interior completely filled with white smoke.
https://www.facebook.com/westmelbournepolicedepartment/videos/936020800334373/
The back passenger’s side door is open and smoke billows out.
“Where are you?” screams an officer into the vehicle. “Can you get out?”
A fire extinguisher is used to break the front passenger-side window. An officer reaches in and unlocks the door from the inside and opens it.
“We’ve got to get you out!” screams the officer wearing the bodycam, his arms pulling the man by his shirt. “You’ve got to help me help you!”
Finally, the victim is dragged out onto the ground, coughing. The agency says he was taken to a local hospital to treat his injuries and is in stable condition.
“Had it not been for the swift action of these officers, things may have ended differently,” said the FB post, which added that the four cops were also transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation. Three were released and one had to stay for observation.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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