After witnessing a driver lose control of a car and crash into flames, a Eugene Springfield (OR) fire crew plunged into action and extricated the driver early Thursday morning.
The driver suffered “serious injuries” in the accident, which happened on Cardinal Way near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway—fortunately near Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend and other medical offices.
Police officials say the car, a Chevrolet S10 pickup, hit the median, which caused the driver to lose control and strike a tree, igniting the fire.
Firefighters—already on scene—saved the driver from the wreckage using hydraulic extrication tools, and dispatch logs show the crash was reported as a vehicle fire at 2:11 a.m.
The victim was later transported via air ambulance from RiverBend to a burn unit in Portland. The driver’s identity and the cause of the crash are not yet known.
Police officials notified the Major Accident Investigation Team to begin the investigation, which leads to a belief that alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.
