Smithtown, NY - Intrepid police officers used fire extinguishers Tuesday to contain a Smithtown car fire until firefighters could arrive and extricate a trapped motorist.
James Gilleo, 51, of Smithtown was driving his 1986 Chevy van northbound on Route 25A near Summerset Drive in Smithtown when he lost control of the vehicle, traveled across the southbound lanes and crashed head-on into a tree on the west side of the road, according to police. As a fire ignited in the wreck, Gilleo found himself trapped, with his legs pinned under the dashboard.
The first-arriving responder, Suffolk Police Officer Laura Lopreto entered the back of the van and used a fire extinguisher to keep the flames from reaching Gilleo, police reported. However, she was unable to extinguish the fire completely and called for backup. Four more police officers used several fire extinguishers to keep the fire from fully engulfing Gilleo until Smithtown firefighters arrived, extinguished the flames and freed Gilleo from his vehicle. Several civilians assisted in the rescue, including Tony Monterosso of Kings Park, Thomas Baker of Miller Place and Jeffrey Tiu of Smithtown.
"The Smithtown Fire Department commends PD for their swift response to the fire until we arrived," stated Smithtown Fire Department Jeff Bressler in an email. "Without protective gear they took immediate action to protect the trapped driver."
Gilleo suffered a broken femur, broken ribs and burns to his legs and face, police reported. He was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center. The police officers were taken to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, where they were treated for smoke inhalation and released. |
