Driver Rescued From Burning Car By Police Had Just Seconds To Live
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NORTH TEXAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - The family of a Mesquite man who was pulled from his fiery car on Sunday said their loved one is in critical condition.
Mesquite police released dashcam footage on Monday showing two officers running to an SUV that was engulfed in flames. The officers rush to the vehicle, breaking the window and pulling 25-year-old Hector Valles to safety.
"Hector is strong. He is a fighter. We are thankful to the Lord that he is here," said Olivia Valles in a released statement on Monday.
Mesquite police officers Ryan Nielsen and Autumn Soto spoke on Monday about the intense moments. "You're there rooting for them. You're there working for them. You need them to make it," said Nielsen.
Nielsen and Soto were humble about what many in the community considered heroic actions. Soto said it was, "Just another day at work for us. It was four o'clock in the morning we were getting ready to go to lunch. So you know, just another day."
Just another day for them, but for Valles is was nearly his last. "It's a matter of seconds right where he was sitting was on fire," recalled Vancy Lay, a firefighter with the Mesquite Fire Department.
Lay said it was not just the fire that was dangerous, but the toxic smoke that was emitting from the burning vehicle. He estimated it was probably 800 to 1,000 degrees near the burning SUV. "They're not equipped for that. They don't have the proper attire to be doing that."
Soto and Nielsen said the incident is why they signed up for the job in the first place. "It was of those deals where someone was looking out for him that day," said Nielsen.
The family of Hector Valles said he needs prayers right now as he continues to recover.
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