A police officer in California has been hailed as a hero after single-handedly rescuing a driver from a burning vehicle with mere seconds to spare.
Incredible dashcam footage shared by the Elk Grove Police Department shows Officer Jarred Houston driving up to a scene of a single vehicle collision on a darkened road. The car in question was completely smashed in at the front end, with flames erupting from the engine compartment.
After rushing over and shining his flashlight on the burning vehicle, Officer Houston noticed a person was trapped inside and knew he would have to act quickly if they were to stand any chance of survival.
In footage that has since gone viral, Officer Houston can be heard saying, ‘Somebody in there? Hey, get out! Are you on the passenger side?’ The unidentified driver then replies, ‘I cannot get out, sir’.
Officer Houston could then be seen running to the passenger side, instructing the driver to lean away from the window. He then smashed the window, enabling him to reach the man and pull him to safety before it was too late.
Speaking with the man throughout the successful rescue mission, Officer Houston could be heard telling him, ‘Come on, give me your hand. Come out, I got you.’
Thanks to Officer Houston’s bravery and quick thinking, the man was successfully pulled from the car with non-life threatening injuries. He was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.
According to a Facebook post from the Elk Grove Police Department, this heroic rescue was an example of times in an officer’s career ‘when seconds matter’:
On February 11, 2020, Officer Houston responded to a single vehicle collision. When he arrived, he found the vehicle’s engine compartment on fire with the driver still inside.
Officer Houston was able to assist the driver out of the vehicle and get him to safety. The driver was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the collision is still under investigation.
Speaking with People magazine, Elk Grove Police Chief Timothy Albright spoke of how proud he was of his heroic colleague:
I am so proud of Officer Houston and his heroic efforts to save the life of the driver.
Without hesitation, he did what was necessary to bring what could have been a tragic event to a successful conclusion. I am so proud of his brave and selfless service.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.