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Bystanders help rescue Wauwatosa man from burning car
Bodycam video shows deputies, police and bystanders rescuing a Wauwatosa man from a burning car after a crash on northbound I-41 in Germantown on Tuesday morning, March 10.
GERMANTOWN, Wis. - Newly released body camera video shows the dramatic rescue of a man pulled from a burning vehicle after a crash on Interstate 41 in Washington County.
What we know:
Authorities say the crash happened just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, on northbound I-41 in Germantown.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says a Wauwatosa man crashed into the median cable barriers, leaving his vehicle smoking and on fire.
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Video shows smoke surrounding the car as flames burned in the engine compartment.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office Captain of Operations Robert Stuesser said a sheriff’s deputy nearby heard the dispatch call and quickly responded to the scene, where a Germantown police officer was already trying to help the driver.
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The 40-year-old man inside the vehicle was trapped, with his foot pinned under the car door.
The deputy grabbed a fire extinguisher from his squad vehicle and handed it to an off-duty firefighter who had also stopped to help. Several bystanders also pulled over to assist.
What they're saying:
"It’s a pretty neat story. You know, these things don't happen all that often," said Robert Stuesser, captain of operations with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. "I think we live in communities where we have good Samaritans, good people that are willing to help out in a moment's notice."
Seconds later, the deputy and Germantown officer were able to free the man’s foot and pull him out of the burning vehicle.
"It was a perfect example of teamwork," Stuesser said.
The Germantown Fire Department says the man was taken to a hospital. Officials have not released information about his condition.
The Source: The Washington County Sheriff's Office provided information and bodycam video of the incident.