Strangers Rescue 2 From Burning EV on Massachusetts Highway

When David Iarussi saw an overturned electric vehicle on Interstate 495 in Plainville, Massachusetts, his three decades as a firefighter told him one thing: time was running out.

The Ashland Fire Department lieutenant was driving home with his wife Sunday afternoon when they came upon the crash around 1:30 p.m. Two people were trapped inside the car, which had rolled onto its side in the breakdown lane.

Iarussi wasn't alone in wanting to help. Several strangers had already stopped and were desperately trying to break through the windshield and sunroof to reach the victims inside.

The group punched and kicked the glass. One passerby with a broken leg handed Iarussi his crutch to use as a tool. Others grabbed rocks and anything they could find to smash through.

Then the car caught fire.

"I know how fast these cars can burn up," Iarussi said. "So my mindset was, I've got to get them out."

One Good Samaritan had a fire extinguisher and sprayed the flames on the vehicle's undercarriage while others kept working on the glass. The laminated windshield, designed to stay intact during crashes, became their biggest obstacle.

"I don't even remember doing it, you know," Iarussi recalled. His training and instinct took over as smoke filled the air and flames grew.

The group refused to quit. Working together, they finally broke through the glass and pulled both victims to safety before the fire could spread.

Why This Inspires

Iarussi plans to retire next year after more than 30 years of service, but this rescue will stay with him forever. He's already planning to keep a small saw and window-breaking tools in his car, knowing that laminated glass requires special equipment.

What moves him most isn't his own actions. It's everyone else who stopped to help.

"I would do it again in one second," he said. "I don't like being called a hero. I was simply doing my job, but the other passersby who joined the effort are the true heroes in the story."

The condition of the two victims hasn't been released, but Iarussi remains hopeful. "I feel great, and I hope someday I'll hear that the two victims are doing well."

On an ordinary Sunday afternoon, strangers became a team, and that team saved lives.