NORTH HAVEN — Saturday morning, around 6:30 a.m., North Haven Fire was dispatched to Route 15 northbound near exit 63 for multiple reports of a car that had crashed into a tree and was on fire with people trapped inside.
State police said the car went off the road, it the guide wire, then went on to the grassy strip before striking a tree and caught fire.
When North Haven got to the scene, they found the car engulfed in flames, but both male occupants out of the vehicle.
Prior to North Haven’s arrival, a volunteer firefighter from South Windsor was traveling southbound on Route 15 and stopped when he saw the fire. He found one individual, the passenger, out of the vehicle with the driver still trapped inside. He used a tire jack to break the window and pull the driver out of the car to safety.
North Haven firefighters treated both occupants on scene and assisted with transporting the driver, who suffered serious injuries, to Yale New Haven Hospital. The passenger suffered only minor injuries.
“We’re extremely grateful to the volunteer firefighter who stopped to assist with this serious car crash,” Chief Januszewski said. “His quick actions saved a person’s life. I commend his actions and the work by North Haven firefighters this morning.”
The crash is under investigation by the Connecticut State Police.
