Bystanders prevent NSW petrol station fire ending in tragedy

A group of brave bystanders risked their lives to pull two injured passengers from a car after the vehicle slammed into the bowsers at a NSW petrol station and sparked a fire.

The Caltex service station at Armidale came under threat on Monday afternoon when a woman smashed into the bowsers in her car, The Armidale Express reports.

A video shot from a motel across the road from the petrol station shows Ivan Smith racing to the scene as the woman filming yells out to him not to put himself in danger.

With the help of a number of other bystanders both passengers were pulled from the car while flames lapped at its bonnet.

"You either go in and help or you run the other way," Mr Smith said after the incident.

"You gotta decide whether to go in and risk an explosion or a [ignore] lady who's gonna burn."

The passengers were taken to hospital as a precaution and a spokeswoman from Hunter New England Health said yesterday the pair were in a stable condition.