Cops in Port Charlotte, Florida, raced against time Saturday morning as they scrambled to free a man trapped inside a burning vehicle.
Heart-pumping video of the rescue shows “unbearable,” five-foot flames coming from a dilapidated car as police risked their lives and safety to free the victim.
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Deputies Garrett Parrish and Bryant Ovalles Vasquez with the Charlotte County Police Department arrived on the scene as the man inside the car was screaming for help, WTSP-TV reported.
The individual was reportedly trapped by his seatbelt and unable to exit independently. The officers, assisted by an unidentified good Samaritan, used a fire extinguisher and a pocketknife to free the unnamed victim.
“When DFC Parrish and DFC Vasquez ran to the victim, they found his seatbelt caught around his neck and upper body,” a press release explained. “The heat from the flames [was] described as unbearable, which made it difficult for them to remain close to the victim for long periods of time.”
Watch the incredible rescue:
Luckily, the officers persisted and successfully freed the victim, who was promptly transported to the hospital. He was in critical condition but is expected to survive.
The Charlotte County Police Department later praised Parrish and Vasquez for their “heroic” actions.
“You truly never know what the night will hold,” Sheriff Bill Prummell said in a statement. “The job of a deputy is to act bravely in the face of danger, regardless of what lies ahead. These young men did just that. I couldn’t be prouder.”
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