Good Samaritans Rescue Man From Burning SUV In The Nick Of Time

STONY BROOK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Good Samaritians say it was fate and the grace of God that brought them to the scene of a crash where an unconscious driver was trapped in a vehicle just before it exploded into flames.

Hearts pounding, two men dragged 53-year-old Paul Gross, of Mount Sinai, Long Island, from his SUV on Wednesday evening and performed CPR on him.

Edmond Quinones was taking a shortcut home from work and happened to choose Townline Road in Hauppauge the moment Gross suffered a medical incident and smashed into a large elm tree at a high rate of speed.

"There was a violent impact from the truck, and it hit the driver's-side front, and it took the whole tree out at the same time," Quinones said. "His head was sticking out the window."

Hauppauge volunteer firefighter Stephen Matteo, who lives across the from the crash scene, heard a deafening boom and ran toward the collision at the moment Quinones pulled to the curb. Together, the men acted instantly.

"He was screaming, he was moaning, he was feeling the heat. He was injured pretty bad," Quinones told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. "So he was just moaning, and the dashboard just started going on fire. Me and the other gentleman made a split second decision and decided to pull him out."

The victim was trapped.

"We couldn't get the doors open, and the fire was actually transferring into the dashboard of the car," Quinones said. "His legs were under the dashboard, and he was starting to moan. Put our lives on the line because we weren't sure what could happen at that point.

"First attempt to get him out didn't work. Second attempt worked. Within 30 seconds right after that, the car was completely engulfed in flames." 

By then, others were stopping to help, holding up traffic at the intersection, paving the way for first responders.

"I felt good afterwards because I realized that I had done something good for somebody that day," Quinones said. "It's all about being a good Samaritan on Long Island."

Gross is in fair-but-stable condition and is recovering from a possible heart attack, as well as lacerations and bone injuries suffered in the crash.

He tells loved ones he is lucky and looks forward to thanking the two good Samaritans in person who saved his life.