Dramatic video captures South Brunswick, N.J. police rescuing unconscious man from burning car
Dramatic video has been released of South Brunswick, N.J. police pulling an unconscious man from a burning car earlier this month.
It happened on Nov. 9 around 3 a.m. in Franklin Township.
The video shows South Brunswick Police Officers Thomas Sites and Yash Shroff pulling a 26-year-old man from a car after a crash.
"The smoke turned into flames really quickly"
The video shows small flames beneath the car as the officers initially approach the vehicle and smash open the window. One officer reaches into the car to open the driver's door and pull him out, but a ball of flames quickly flares up as smoke billows from the car.
It continues, showing the two officers pull the man out of the car and away from the vehicle as the flames grow higher, engulfing the car and the driver's door, where they were just moments before.
POLICE PULL UNCONSCIOUS MAN FROM BURNING CAR
— So Brunswick PD (@SoBrunswickPD) November 17, 2025
South Brunswick Police Officer Thomas Sites and Officer Yash Shroff rescued a 26 year old unconscious man from his burning car after a crash. The fire was at the officers feet when they pulled him out of the car. pic.twitter.com/6BTlLt38eg
"It gives you a sense of urgency that we have to get this guy out now. Because the smoke turned into flames really quickly," Shroff said.
Sites used a breaching tool to break the car's window after attempts to break the window with a baton were unsuccessful. The breaching tool is usually used to make entry into doorways.
"After I broke the driver side window, I was able to open the door from the inside, and we were able to get the individual out," Sites said.
The victim, who is from Jersey City, suffered critical injuries in the crash. He remains hospitalized and is said to be in stable condition.
iPhone crash detection alerted police
There's no word at this time on the cause of the accident, but police said it was the driver's iPhone crash detection system that first alerted 911 about the wreck.
"Because there was a blunt force to the phone, it made a notification to Apple, and Apple immediately called us," South Brunswick police dispatcher Brittany Kelly said. "So because of that, we got a plot over on Andover & 27, and we sent our officers to the general area of where that plot came from. Officer Shroff and Officer Sites went out there and found the car into a tree."
Police said those precious seconds likely saved the victim's life.