Hilton Quintana and Kyle Van Note rescued Andreas Kruizenga from a burning vehicle in Cresco, Pa., on Aug. 25, 2016.
Kruizenga, 65, was the driver of a car that overturned in a nighttime accident on a rural road. A fire started at the car’s front end and smoke filled the interior; Kruizenga yelled for help.
A nearby resident, Quintana, 59, senior equipment technician, arrived about the same time as Van Note, 32, police officer of Kunkletown, Pa. Quintana and Van Note attempted to open a damaged front door. With smoke precluding visibility, they could not see Kruizenga inside. They moved to a rear door and opened it.
Kruizenga’s hand soon appeared through the smoke. Van Note leaned into the car, grabbed the hand, and pulled on Kruizenga, whose body was stuck. Quintana, too, grasped Kruizenga, and together they pulled him from the car.
As Van Note dragged Kruizenga, whose pants were burning, farther away, Quintana attempted to smother the flames with a floor mat before pulling the pants off. Quintana and Van Note then carried Kruizenga toward Van Note’s patrol car as flames grew.
Kruizenga was hospitalized for burns to his legs and arms. He recovered.
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