West Melbourne and Palm Bay Police rescued a man from a burning sport utility vehicle on Thursday morning. According to West Melbourne Police Officer Joshua Kennedy, it happened around 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn & Suites in West Melbourne. Police believe the male driver suffered a medical episode before crashing into the ditch behind the parking lot, causing the SUV to catch fire. “At one point the vehicle was completely rammed,” Kennedy said. Officers at the hotel for an unrelated investigation saw the flames and responded quickly. They used whatever equipment they had on hand, including a fire extinguisher, from the passenger’s window to rescue the man inside. In less than two minutes, officers pulled the man safely through his driver’s side door. “That’s what we sign up for,” Kennedy said. “We come through knowing that there are going to be situations where we have to make those other decisions to be able to help someone.” According to West Melbourne Police, all four responding officers and the victim were taken to hospital. The driver is still recovering, and one of the officers is under observation for inhaling the fumes. The other three officers have been released.
West Melbourne and Palm Bay Police rescued a man from a burning sport utility vehicle on Thursday morning.
According to West Melbourne Police Officer Joshua Kennedy, it happened around 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn & Suites in West Melbourne.
Police believe the male driver suffered a medical episode before crashing into the ditch behind the parking lot, causing the SUV to catch fire.
“The vehicle was completely engulfed at one point,” Kennedy said.
Officials at the hotel for an unrelated investigation saw the flames and responded quickly. They used whatever equipment they had on hand, including a fire extinguisher, from the passenger’s window to rescue the man inside. Within two minutes, officers pulled the man safely through his driver’s side door.
“That’s what we sign up for,” Kennedy said. “We come through knowing that there are going to be situations where we have to make those split-second decisions to be able to help someone.”
According to West Melbourne Police, all four officers and the victim were taken to hospital. The driver is still recovering, and one of the officers is under observation for inhaling the fumes. The other three officers have been released.
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