Gold Coast truckie pulls elderly man from burning car
A Queensland truck driver and volunteer firefighter says he's just an "average citizen" despite being hailed a hero for rescuing an elderly man from his burning car.
The 80-year-old victim was frozen by fear inside the car which erupted in flames on the side of the M1 at Pimpama on the Gold Coast recently.
Other vehicles were seen driving past but Gary Jones pulled over quickly to examine the wreckage.
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Those on scene said Jones saved the elderly man's life by pulling him from the vehicles. Queensland Police
Jones, who is also a wood chopper and volunteer rural firefighter, called for the trapped man to get out, but he remained motionless, surrounded by flames.
Jones then ran to the driver's side before pulling the man from the burning vehicle.
"When he was sitting in the car there were flames both sides of him, the upholstery went up quick, bang," Jones said.
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CCTV captures burning car on M1 Queensland. Nine
"Opened the door, pulled him out, he nearly got run over then, I put him in front of the traffic.
"An 80-year-old is not agile, that's for sure."
Jones left the scene shortly after his heroics.
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Gary Jones is credited with pulling the man from the blaze. Nine
The elderly man was taken to hospital where he was treated for shock.
Emergency services at the scene said the man could have died if not for Jones' quick thinking.
Jones said he didn't consider himself a hero.
"Not at all, just an average citizen," he said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and the incident is still under investigation.
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