Authorities say a fiery rush-hour crash in Somerville, Massachusetts, that involved five vehicles and a teenage pedestrian was likely caused when one of the drivers had some sort of medical emergency.
Three people were hospitalized after the chain-reaction crash McGrath Highway at 8 a.m. Friday, including a 16-year-old boy walking in the area who was struck by one of the vehicles.
State police say the crash started when a 56-year-old Somerville woman suffered a medical emergency and struck another car driven by a 26-year-old Medford woman, which then burst into flames. Both drivers were taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious injuries.
The drivers of the three other vehicles were not hurt.
The teenager was also hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
No names were released. Police do not anticipate bringing charges.
Good Samaritan Ronaldo Freitas told necn he was dropping his son off at school when he saw the crash happen in front of him. He says he instantly ran to try to save the driver whose car had caught fire.
"When I opened the passenger door, the seatbelt was already catching on fire," he said.
Freitas said the driver was unconscious at the time.
"I tried to wake her up and she didn't respond, then I just released the seat belt and threw her on the shoulders and pulled her out of the car. Then a minute later, I just heard a boom," he said.
Freitas' son Max, who captured the fire on his phone, says he's proud to call his father a hero.
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"I'm not a hero, I was just trying to save her," Freitas said.
