At 23:50 on January 15, 2004, Alvarado, Texas police officer Tim Cortez was on FM 3136 responding to a back up call for another officer when he came across a car which had left the rain slick road hitting a tree.
The female driver was unconscious behind the wheel. The car was smoking so Officer Cortez broke the window and pulled the unconscious driver from the vehicle just minutes before it was engulfed in flames.
The Alvarado Fire Department was responding with their rescue truck and arrived to assist the officer in removing the victim further from the car.
They requested mutual aid for an engine company from the Keene Volunteer Fire Department to assist with putting the car fire out.
The fire was difficult to put out, as firefighters attacked the blaze with a inch and half the blaze fanned out due to the gas tank and magnesium in the car. They had to use three dry powder extinguishers to put the fire out.
