Tenn. Samaritans Save Two From Fiery Wreck

Jan. 11--KNOXVILLE -- Firefighters credited two Northwest Knoxville residents for their quick-thinking efforts to save the lives of two people from a fiery car crash Thursday night.

The Knoxville Fire Department was called to a single-vehicle crash about 7:30 p.m. on the 1400 block of Murray Drive near Wilkerson Road when a 2000 Ford Taurus struck a tree head-on, said KFD Capt. Dean Fontaine.

A nearby resident came outside to find the car on fire. The man sent his daughter to retrieve a fire extinguisher from their home while he attempted to pull two male occupants out of the wreck, Fontaine said.

Normally, "You never move a trauma victim ... although that's everyone's first instinct," the fire captain said.

This situation, however, proved to be the exception to the rule, as the car was on fire.

"There was an immediate threat to the passengers' lives," said Fontaine. "It's been like 15 years since I've heard of a call where they pulled them out when they were supposed to pull them out."

Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt, although the car's air bags deployed, he said. Both victims, who were not identified, were transported with serious injuries to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where they were expected to undergo surgery.

Fontaine identified the good Samaritan as David Ball. The man could not immediately be reached for comment tonight.

A second, unidentified neighbor also came to the scene and helped the man pull the second victim from the car, before they doused the flames with a household fire extinguisher, Fontaine said.

"It always impresses me when a bystander puts himself at risk like that," the captain said.

More details as they develop online and in Friday's News Sentinel.

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