UPDATE: Good Samaritans rush to rescue two people from a burning car

Update on July 6, 2021:

JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Lexington Police Lieutenant Paul Boyles says he was enjoying a day off with his family Monday afternoon when he noticed a car on fire after a collision with a pickup truck.

Boyles says he saw good Samaritans trying to rescue people from the vehicles and that’s when his training kicked in so he ran to the scene to help.

“I didn’t do anything that any police officer really anywhere wouldn’t have done, there was nothing particularly special about what I did,” says Boyles. “I’d say far more credit goes to the handful of civilians that acted probably against stronger instincts and with far less training to do what needed to be done so I was just happy to help them.”

According to the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department, the names of the good Samaritans remain unknown but their heroic efforts are not unnoticed.

Original story July 5, 2021:

JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – An elderly couple have a story to tell after escaping a fiery crash with the help of bystanders, including an off-duty Lexington Police officer.

And they walk away with relatively minor injuries from what could have been a tragedy.

According to the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department, the accident happened at about 1:45 p.m. when the elderly couple tried to turn left from northbound Harrodsburg Road onto West Brannon Road. Their 2019 Toyota Camry was struck by a southbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup, deputies said.

The Camry caught fire as the pickup left the road and stopped in a ditch after crashing over a road sign.

Bystanders, including the unnamed off-duty officer who lived nearby and drove up on the crash, rushed to the Camry and began working to get the couple from the car, getting them out in the nick of time, deputies said.

The driver of the pickup was shaken up but not seriously injured, deputies and firefighters said.

All three people involved were taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, according to the Sheriff’s Department.