'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Friday, September 30, New York State Police released bodycam footage that showed two officers rescuing an unconscious teenage driver from a burning car.
The 17-year-old driver crashed a 2007 Honda Odyssey into a barn in the town of Wappinger, New York, on September 22, Fox News reports.
According to the outlet, at around 3:26 am, the crash was heard by two state troopers, Michael Winkelman and James Flynn-Kocourek, who were reportedly patrolling the Middlebush Stree situated in Wappinger.
Officers immediately rushed to the scene and discovered the teen’s car had rammed into the barn and flames had erupted following the collision. The fire was slowly seen spreading towards the barn.
News 10, a local station, reported that the barn was used as a storage unit and was not inhabited at the time of the crash.
Watch: Video shows State troopers rescuing unresponsive teen from car engulfed in flames
Fox News reported that after arriving at the scene, New York State Troopers Winkelman and Flynn-Kocourek discovered that a fire had erupted in the crash area. The officers then found the driver unconscious behind the wheel but were unable to open the car door.
The troopers tried to extinguish the fire that was spreading quickly. State police said that Winkelman and Flynn-Kocourek made a tactical decision to rescue the teen before the car was enveloped in flames.
In the video, a state trooper is seen rushing towards the car to assist the other officer standing beside the vehicle. The trooper says, “Grab anything you can,” to the other officer present at the crash scene. Winkelman and Flynn-Kocourek then dragged the driver out of the passenger side window.
News 10 reported that the teenager was taken to a hospital in the area, where he was treated for minor injuries. Police reportedly said that the teenager was inebriated at the time of the crash and was arrested for a DWI. Officials have not disclosed the name of the teen responsible for the fire.
In a social media post, the New York State Department said the barn was destroyed during the incident. They also commended the swift response of the two state troopers.
They said:
“Troopers Michael Winkelman & James Flynn-Kocourek pulled a 17-yr-old driver from a burning van after it struck a barn in Wappinger. The barn soon became fully engulfed. As the video shows, their decisive actions likely prevented a tragedy.”
The State Highway was closed for hours as the New York Fire Department fought the fire that engulfed the barn.
According to multiple reports, the State Highway 9D was closed for 12 hours while the fire department tried to contain the fire that destroyed the barn and a utility pole on the street.
Fox News reported that this is still an active investigation.
