Jul 3, 2009 6:37 pm US/Eastern
Brothers Rescued From Burning Car In Deer Park
DEER PARK, N.Y. (CBS) ―
Two brothers are pulled from a burning car. It burst into flames after crashing into a tree on Half Hollow and Nichols roads in Deer Park.
Though humble and modest, an ex-chief and a junior firefighter were accepting praise and handshakes for their daring rescue, moments before a car exploded with a victim trapped inside.
"I heard a boom, a loud crash, smoke, flames, drove 30 feet, saw a car wrapped around a tree," said William Waldron, ex-chief of the Wyandanch Fire Department.
Waldron, who works security for the Deer Park schools, happened to driving down Half Hollow Road in when a car with two brothers from Dix Hills smashed head-on into an elm tree.
"The driver of the car, the brother, was underneath the dashboard, wedged in," Waldron said.
Waldron immediately radioed Deer Park Fire Department and within 30 seconds, junior firefighter Robert Macaluso rushed to the scene, keeping one panicked brother calm, in the race against time to free the second brother.
"The brother is in shock, I went to Chief Waldron, asked him what he needs, he said the other's stuck underneath the steering wheel. It happened too fast that my goal was to get the victim out as fast as possible," said Macaluso.
"Had to get them out of the car. The whole engine compartment was fully involved, coming through the fire wall of the car. We just got them out when the front of the car where he was sitting went up in flames," said Waldron.
The brothers were headed home when, they said, they were cut off by another vehicle.
Both were rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital. One was in intensive care, the other undergoing ankle surgery.
Suffolk police said no charges were filed and no summonses were issued.
On Monday evening, Robby Macaluso will no longer be a junior firefighter. He will be sworn in as the newest member of the Deer Park Fire Department.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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