Police officers to be honored for rescue efforts
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Police are now recognizing three officers for their efforts to save a driver from a fiery crash.
A car and Port Authority bus collided just after eleven o'clock in the evening on Thursday, along Fifth Avenue and Grant Street, near the county courthouse.
The car then burst into flames as the driver, still unconscious, was inside the vehicle.
The three officers, Jared Weiss, Joel Battiste, and Nick Arritz, jumped into action to pull the driver from the vehicle, just moments before the flames reached the passenger cabin.
"It's very clear to us, that, within five-to-ten seconds, the fire would have completely advanced into the passenger compartment and burned the occupant," Commander Matt Lackner said.
"Any citizen, I believe, may have looked at the situation and said 'It's not worth it,' but they didn't hesitate; they knew they had a chance to save a life," Lackner later added.
The officers will be formally recognized for their life-saving actions soon, according to the police bureau.