SAN DIEGO --
San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarmen thanked two off-duty San Diego firefighters who pulled a 19-year-old from a burning car on Monday.
Firemen T.J. Lockwood and Mark Tomesello were on a date with their girlfriends, driving in the Mission Bay Park area, when the saw a terrible car accident around 7:25 p.m.
According to police, Zachary Raymond Smith, 18, and his 19-year-old passenger were headed north on Ingraham Street at about 7:15 p.m. Investigators said Smith lost control of the vehicle when he attempted to take the Seaworld Drive exit.
Authorities said the car slammed into a pine tree and burst into flames soon after. Smith was able to get out quickly, reported NBC 7/39, but his passenger was trapped
Officials said Lockwood, Tomesello, as well as another off-duty firefighter , Kyle O'Neill, and an off-duty police officer , Benjerwin Manansala, pulled the passenger from the car minutes before he would have been burned.
They were both taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police said Smith suffered multiple fractures to his arms and legs in the crash. His passenger had an open fracture to his femur, officials said.
