A man has tragically lost his life in a fiery car crash in South Australia, despite the heroic efforts of bystanders who rushed to his aid. Onlookers sprinted toward the burning wreckage, desperately trying to pry open the passenger door, while others flagged down passing vehicles and buses in search of fire extinguishers.
Crash details
The incident occurred just after 10:30am on Friday when a Holden Statesman slammed into an electricity pole on Curtis Road at Angle Vale, in Adelaide's north, and burst into flames. The 22-year-old driver managed to free himself and was comforted by motorists who stopped to assist.
Witness Kim Cochrane described the scene to 7NEWS: 'I could see the driver had been severely hurt so I tried to calm him down. We were waving down buses, cars, everyone who drove past asking for fire extinguishers.'
Rescue efforts
A group of men attempted to rescue the trapped passenger, but despite their efforts and the swift response of police and firefighters, the 29-year-old man from Brahma Lodge could not be saved. He was later identified as a resident of the northern Adelaide suburb.
The driver, from Penfield in Adelaide's outer north, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Road toll and police response
This death marks the 41st life lost on South Australian roads this year. SAPOL Superintendent Shane Johnson has announced that police will be out in force in the coming days, with extra patrols targeting dangerous driving across the state.
'We'll have resources deployed all next week — additional resources all across the state, including our regional areas — targeting those dangerous road behaviours that we know contribute to casualty collisions,' he said.
