Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) - A southern New Jersey police officer braved heat and blinding smoke to pull an unconscious driver from a pickup truck that had burst into flames.
Cape May Officer Scott Krissinger's dashboard camera showed him sprinting toward the pickup Monday night and pulling out the driver as the vehicle was engulfed in flames and smoke. It also showed him going back a second time to make sure there are no passengers.
Police Capt. Rob Sheehan said the department is very proud of Krissinger, who has been on the force for six years.
"He's a hero in every sense of the word," he told WMGM-TV.
Krissinger said the smoke was so thick he couldn't see anything, but he downplayed his actions.
"I think any of us officers at the Cape May Police Department, they would have done the same thing," he told the TV station. "It just happened to be me."
The pickup's driver, Gerald Ferrill, 61, of Mays Landing, remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition, police said.
Police said Ferrill was apparently overcome by heat and smoke that entered the cab from the burning engine compartment.
Witnesses said the truck may have had a flat tire before catching fire.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
