Burning Car in the Middle of the Road, 'Citizen Heroes' Rush to the Scene

Many citizens are helping with the rescue at the site of a vehicle fire that occurred at the entrance of Yeongju Tunnel in Busan. [Image source=Busan Police Agency]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The car was ablaze, but citizens rushed toward the fire. All they could think was that there were people inside the car, not knowing when it might explode.

It was a 'miracle' that happened starting at 5:40 PM on the 21st. Heroes poured into the middle of the road. The police called them 'citizen heroes.'

According to the Busan police, on that day, a passenger car driving near the entrance of Yeongju Tunnel in Jung-gu, Busan, collided with the central divider guardrail.

The driver and one passenger lost consciousness briefly due to the impact of the accident.

The vehicle began to catch fire.

A taxi driver named Kim stopped first as he passed the scene. While checking the situation, he found the unconscious driver.

Kim tried to open the car door to rescue the driver, but the door would not open due to the impact of the accident.

He broke the car window, opened the malfunctioning door, and began rescuing the driver.

Many citizens who rushed to the accident scene helped him.

A ladder truck driver named Han assisted by using tools found in the vehicle to break the burning car's window and help rescue the driver outside.

A quick service courier named Son performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the rescued driver.

A citizen named Park called 119 and rushed to help rescue the passenger.

Yeongju Tunnel management staff Kim and Jo also took fire extinguishers placed around the tunnel and extinguished the vehicle fire. They joined the citizens helping to save the passenger in the front seat.

Many unnamed citizens helped with rescuing the driver, controlling surrounding traffic, and clearing accident debris.

The police reported, "Thanks to the help of citizens, the driver and passenger were safely rescued and are receiving treatment at the hospital."

The police said that the six citizens who led the rescue efforts despite the dangerous situation with the risk of vehicle explosion due to fire, as well as the unnamed citizens, are true heroes who prioritized saving lives over their own safety.

The Busan police decided to present certificates of appreciation to the six citizens and others who helped with the rescue activities at the scene.