Passersby Pull Man From Burning Car on 405 Freeway

By City News Service

Two civilians and a bomb squad officer rescued a trapped 72-year-old motorist from a burning vehicle on the northbound San Diego (405) Freeway Wednesday and both the driver and the officer suffered injuries, authorities said.

Around 1:45 p.m., a black 1991 Mercedes Benz station wagon on the highway at Ventura Boulevard lost control for unknown reasons and collided into the concrete center divider and burst into flames, said Sgt. Tony Polizzi of the California Highway Patrol.

The crash backed up northbound traffic on the 405 from Sherman Oaks to West Los Angeles for hours.

Two motorists who saw the crashed vehicle pulled over to render aid, along with a member of Los Angeles Police Department's bomb squad, said spokesman Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The flaming car was quickly extinguished, he said.

The 72-year-old man driving the car was transported to an area hospital with complaints of neck and back pain, while the helping officer received minor burn injuries to his right and and forearm and was taken to a local Urgent Care center to receive treatment, Polizzi said.

The number 1, 2 and carpool lanes were closed to clear the crash, but were re-opened by 4:45 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.