HALIFAX - A group of off-duty firefighters and a bystander rushed to save a teenager trapped under a car on a Halifax street.

And they used only their brute strength to do it.

Eight firefighters and the bystander rolled the car onto its side to get at the 14-year-old boy who was run over as he was crossing at an intersection at about 12:30 p.m. Monday.

The boy was taken to hospital with what were described by police as non-life threatening injuries.

Police spokesman Const. Brian Palmeter said the early investigation indicates the boy was crossing the street against the light when he was struck.

Derrick Harty, one of the firefighters, said the group was holding a union meeting at the nearby Lady Hammond Road station when they heard tires screeching and went to help.

"We realized what had taken place and within seconds, we were out the door," he said.

Harty called for heavy-duty air bags to lift the Volkswagen off the boy, but the fire station didn't have any and it would have taken too long to bring some in from another station.

That's when "someone came up with the idea that we should ... roll the vehicle," he said.

Harty said it happened so quickly that he doesn't remember just how heavy the car was.

"Once adrenaline kicks in, you do what you have to do and I'm thinking that a bit of adrenaline was flowing at that point," he said.

(Halifax Chronicle Herald)


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