'Heroic': Pottawatomie Co. men rush towards burning truck to save lives
MACOMB, Okla. (KFOR) — Two men in Pottawatomie County are having their actions praised as heroic by law enforcement after rushing into a fiery crash last week, saving lives.
The crash happened May 9 along a rural road in Macomb. Witnesses told Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office deputies that a driver hit a tree along the road going at least 60 mph. The truck snapped the tree in two, collapsing on part of the vehicle and causing enough damage to eventually spark a blaze.
"I saw the tree rock and I felt like the impact from the bang," said eyewitness Stacey Murray, who was on the porch of his nearby home when the crash happened.
Murray said, after yelling at his loved ones to call 911, he sprinted over to the truck to see if the occupants inside were okay. Murray said he noticed there were two men in the vehicle.
"It was kind of like heart pounding," said Murray. "You had to do something."
Murray said he received assistance from other family members, including Chad Humphrey, who told News 4 he didn't even realize initially how close the crash was to their home. Humphrey said he remembered Murray screaming for help, and the family having to use two household fire extinguishers to keep the flames at bay so they could act.
Murray said a passenger in the vehicle fell out of it when he opened their door, and he had to drag him away. Humphrey said it was harder to get the driver out.
"He was trying to get out of the driver's side door, but he couldn't open it because it was barred by the tree," said Humphrey. "I grabbed him. He was still incoherent."
Neither man said they were thinking about their own safety during the ordeal, although they said they could certainly feel the intensity of the heat. After they got both men a safe distance away, they said they watched the fire like a bonfire. Several smaller explosions followed and all of the tires on the truck popped according to the witnesses.
Humphrey became visibly upset when asked directly if he even thought about the potential risk to his own life, and concluded his interview only three minutes into asking questions.
The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's office has praised both men's heroic behavior in a social media post.
"We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Chad and Stacey for their heroic actions," the May 9 post read. "Without their swift intervention, the occupant of this vehicle would not have survived."
News 4 asked both men if they thought they could have waited for authorities to show up to act. They said seeing the aftermath is proof that wouldn't have helped.
The cause of the crash is under investigation and the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's office has not shared any updates on the condition individuals involved in it.