Rescue At Fiery Wreck Left Seconds To Spare

Newcastle Herald

Monday March 17, 2008

GR

THE quick thinking of Arthur Griffiths saved the lives of two young men caught in a burning car.

His efforts will be honoured with a Bravery Medal.

On September 17, 2004, Mr Griffiths, of Wollombi, was saying goodbye to workers at his lavender farm when he heard a crash, "which could only be a car accident".

"From the noise I knew it was going to be a big one," he said.

Mr Griffiths asked his wife to call the emergency services and drove his car in the direction of the noise.

He found an overturned car 40 metres from the road.

Mr Griffiths freed the man from the passenger side of the car, moved him from the wreckage and returned to save the driver.

As he was struggling with the seatbelt holding the driver in the vehicle he realised flames from an engine fire had started a grass fire, which was a threat the man he had freed.

"I had to stop what I was doing and drag the other bloke further away across a dirt track I thought would act as a fire break," Mr Griffiths said.

He returned to the car and removed the driver seconds before the vehicle burst into flames.

Mr Griffiths said he was just a person acting on instinct and making split-second decisions.

"I assume it's something someone else would do in the same situation," he said.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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