PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Two Portage firefighters were honored by the City Council last night for a dramatic rescue that was caught on video last Friday.
A man flipped his Jeep on its side on the rail crossing at Shaver and West Centre near City Hall and Fire Station #1 last Friday, after colliding with a compact car, just as a freight train was approaching .
Firefighters Ron Leatherman and Jacob Mahoney say it was fortunate for the driver that it happened so close to the station, and that it was a Jeep he was driving and not something with a solid roof.
They say the man had been unable to get out on his own, suffering from severe back pain and had to be physically pulled from the wreck.
They say they only had about 13 seconds to act, and are lucky that all the pieces fell into place. Leatherman and Mahoney say they heard the crossing alarms go off and sprang into action, their training taking over.
They say they didn’t realize until after, how close it was and how lucky they were.
The accident remains under investigation and no other names have been released.
(reporting from John McNeill)
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