By Erica Thomas, managing editor
BIRMINGHAM — A father and son in Birmingham jumped to the rescue when they saw people trapped inside a burning vehicle on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020.
Michael and Corey Bryant were driving down the road when they noticed the flames coming from a car at a gas station, around 5:45 p.m. As Corey videoed, you can hear the moment they realize there were people inside the car.
“They need any help?” said Michael Bryant? “Is somebody in there? Let’s go get them!”
VIDEO: Veteran and military member rush to rescue people from burning car in Birmingham
The pair jumped out of their own vehicle and rushed to the burning car, which was parked next to a gas pump at the Food Mart on Bessemer Road. Without thinking of themselves, they rescued two people.
Corey Bryant, who is currently in his 12th year in the Air Force, said another man helped him pull someone from the passenger seat. At the same time, Corey’s father, Michael, cut the seatbelt off of the driver. The crash and the rescue were captured on surveillance cameras at the store.
Corey credited his dad’s military experience for his fast response to save lives.
On Facebook, Corey posted:
I can’t make this up. Me and daddy was just driving in Birmingham and saw a fire at a gas station as we was driving down the road. We starting recording it because we never seen that before, but AS SOON AS my father noticed people were in the vehicle stuck, he pulled over immediately to help save lives!! He snapped into ARMY MODE. We ran to the flamed vehicle, he got a knife and cut the seatbelt and me and another dude pulled the unconscious man out the passenger side. S/O to my HERO, MY FATHER, RETIRED INFANTRY ARMY MAN …… MICHAEL E. BRYANT! The world needs to know what you did so unselfishly!!
Birmingham Fire and Rescue responded to the fire.
Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said both occupants of the vehicle were evaluated on the scene for minor injuries.
The surveillance video can be viewed below.