Officer saves unconscious man from burning car
A Bridgewater, New Jersey, police officer is being hailed as a hero after he pulled a driver from a burning vehicle following a crash.
The dramatic rescue was captured in body camera footage early Wednesday morning on Route 22.
Around 2 a.m., Officer Noah Allat responded to a crash where a Hyundai Elantra had collided with the rear of a 2007 Freightliner tanker truck, ABC News Philadelphia affiliate WPVI first reported.
The crash sparked a massive fire in both vehicles. While the truck driver managed to safely pull over, the driver of the Elantra, later identified by officials as Peter Della-Ventura, remained trapped and unconscious in his car.
According to WPVI, Della-Ventura's passenger, who had managed to escape the wreckage, was unharmed. But the driver remained in critical danger as flames quickly spread, threatening to engulf the vehicle.
Without hesitation, Allat rushed toward the burning car. His swift actions were captured on his bodycam as he quickly located Della-Ventura, still unconscious behind the wheel.
Despite the dangerous flames, Allat managed to drag Della-Ventura from the vehicle and away from the fire, likely saving his life in the process.
Additional emergency crews, including members of the Finderne, Martinsville, and Green Knoll Volunteer Fire Departments, along with paramedics and rescue squads, arrived on the scene to assist.
Della-Ventura and his passenger were transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where they are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and as of time of publication, no charges have been filed.
Allat has been widely recognized for his heroic act and quick thinking, courageous actions that saved a life in the face of an intense situation.
