Logging truck driver helps save motorist’s life after fiery crash
about 5 years in timescolonist
A logging-truck driver whose vehicle was rear-ended in a fiery crash early Wednesday near the Nanaimo Airport is being credited with helping to save the life of the motorist who hit him.
Two men from adjacent Schnitzer Steel also rushed to help.
North Oyster Volunteer Fire Department Chief Florian Schulz said an emergency call from just north of the Trans-Canada Highway and Cedar Road intersection was received about 5:45 a.m.
A fire broke out right away as a result of the collision, which saw the pickup stuck in the load of logs, he said.
“When our crews got on scene, the pickup truck was fully involved in flames.”
The logs caught fire, as well.
The logging-truck driver immediately grabbed a fire extinguisher and headed for the pickup, and was joined by the other two men, who also had fire extinguishers.
“They managed to knock the fire down to a point where they could get the driver of the pickup truck out of the vehicle,” Schulz said.
Ambulance paramedics arrived to transport the pickup driver to hospital with serious injuries.
Schulz said the highway was shut down for about half an hour before being open to one lane of traffic and then fully opened.
He praised the efforts of the men involved in the rescue and said they prevented a tragic outcome.
“That would have been just an awful scene.”