Watch deputies defy flames, ‘unbearable’ heat to free Florida driver from burning car

Harrowing dashcam video out of Florida shows a helpless driver screaming as he remained bound to his burning car by a tangled seat belt.

It happened Saturday, April 2, in Charlotte County, and the driver is seen hanging out of the overturned vehicle, just inches from the intense flames.

The driver remains hospitalized in critical condition, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. His identity has not been released.

“Neighbors inside the Riverwood community were alerted by the loud crash and called 911. The callers described the flames as being 5 feet high and heard a man screaming for help,” the sheriff’s office said.

“When (deputies) ran to the victim, they found his seat belt caught around his neck and upper body. The heat from the flames were described as unbearable which made it difficult for them to remain close to the victim for long periods of time.”

Deputies Garrett Parrish and Bryant Ovalles Vasquez used fire extinguishers to douse flames nearest the man, allowing him to be cut free with a pocketknife.

The video ends with the deputies and a good Samaritan dragging the man to the other side of the road.

“You truly never know what the night will hold,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said in the release.

“The job of a deputy is to act bravely in the face of danger, regardless of what lies ahead. These young men did just that. I couldn’t be prouder,” he adds.

The driver is “expected to survive,” the department reports.

This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 6:43 AM with the headline "Watch deputies defy flames, ‘unbearable’ heat to free Florida driver from burning car."