A Boston man saved a woman whose car had crashed into a tanker in East Boston early Wednesday morning, igniting both vehicles and the woman, WBZ reported.
After the car hit the tanker, which was reportedly carrying gasoline, both vehicles burst into flames, Boston police said, according to WBZ. However, a Good Samaritan pulled over and rushed to help the woman, whose hair and arm had caught fire, WBZ reported.
“It was just something out of a movie,” said Heather Rutigliano, who witnessed the crash. “He wound up just going over to her because she must have been in shock and she was on fire. He went over and he took his jacket off and put it over her head and put the fire out that was on her head and on her arm.” (RELATED: Hero FedEx Driver Rescues Man From Crashed Vehicle Engulfed In Flames)
“Something out of a movie”: Woman catches on fire after car crashes into tanker in East Boston @BrandonTruittTV reports https://t.co/3iUrju2sBG
— WBZ | CBS News Boston (@wbz) October 19, 2023
An ambulance transported the victim to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with non-life-threatening burn injuries, police said. The cleanup from the crash extended into the morning commute hours and backed up traffic in the area.
“It couldn’t have gone better, for as bad of the situation as it was, it could have not gone better,” Boston Fire Chief Mark Raymond told Boston25 NEWS. “These guys did a great job. I can’t commend them enough.”
Rutigliano wasn’t able to get the name of the Good Samaritan who saved the woman, but she said she was thankful he was on the scene.
“He was brave enough to go right up to the car. If he wasn’t there, I don’t know what would have happened,” Rutigliano said. “She just stopped and sat right down on the ground right behind the car. She was on fire.”
Boston Police are investigating the cause of the crash, WBZ reported.