Councillor becomes hero at Wickford crash scene (From Echo)

Councillor becomes hero at Wickford crash scene

6:10pm Tuesday 31st July 2012 in News

Crash scene – emergency services arrived within minutes

A COUNCILLOR became a hero when he rescued two trapped women following a road crash in Wickford .

Basildon councillor John Dornan got involved in the dramatic rescue after two cars crashed into each other yesterday morning.

The collision left a black Chevrolet Tacuma lying upside down after it collided with a blue VW Polo at 10am on the A129 London Road, near to the junction with Castledon Road.

Mr Dornan, who lives in Laindon, was on his way to Wickord when the crash happened just in front of him.

He said: “I couldn’t believe it. I pulled over and ran out over the road to the first car I saw, which was the Polo.

“I pulled the driver out. I could smell petrol and I was really worried it was going to blow up.

“I took her to the other side of the road and then some other passers-by helped comfort her.

“Then to my horror I saw the driver of the car which had overturned was still trapped inside.”

By that time a handful of other drivers had stopped and were talking to the woman who was still upside down in the front seat.

They were unsure whether to leave the elderly woman for fear of injuring her, but Mr Dornan said he knew she had to come out.

He said: “I had this real fear the car was going to go up. The smell of petrol was really strong. To me the worst thing in the world would be to be stuck inside a burning car.

“I just yelled ‘we’ve got to get her out’ now!”

Together Mr Dornan, who is the councillor responsible for for the environment, and the other rescuers lifted the woman out and alerted the emergency services.

An ambulance was called, but neither of the drivers – both elderly women – were injured.

Mr Dornan added: “It’s a miracle these women didn’t have a scratch on them.

“I was expecting the worst.”

A police spokesman said an investigation has been launched into how the pile-up occurred.