Local

Coast Guard member, good Samaritans pull man from burning car

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A man is recovering after being rescued from his burning car Saturday morning in Charleston, according to our news partners ABC4/WCIV.

Around 2:30 a.m., a minivan ran off the road and hit a tree before bursting into flames.

A U.S. Coast Guard member and two others pulled over moments after the crash happened, and saw a man trapped and unconscious inside.

"The doors could not open, so the window was the only escape," driver Maria Robinson-Lodge said. "It was very crucial. The car was already ignited in flames, it was popping and I mean, the fire was getting bigger as we were standing there talking trying to figure out how we could get him out."

Maritime Enforcement Specialist First Class Daniel Pettett said his rescue training kicked in, prompting him to break one of the windows and grab a rope from his own car.

Pettett then tied the rope around a branch and the three used it to pull the man safely out of his car.

He was taken to The Medical University of South Carolina and is expected to recover.

The three good Samaritans said they would not have been able to save the man alone.

"It was teamwork at its finest, three people from different walks of life coming together for a common goal of saving a life and it was amazing," Pettett said. "Without the other two, the driver would not have survived."

to read the original story on the ABC4/WCIV website.

Read more top trending stories on

wsoctv.com: