TRENTON, KY. — A quick-thinking bystander and police chief worked together to pull a woman from her burning vehicle after she crashed in a Kentucky backyard following what police believe was a medical emergency.
The dramatic rescue unfolded last week in Trenton, Kentucky.
Arlyn Alvarez was at home when she heard a loud crash in her backyard.
"I heard this huge drumming," said Arlyn Alvarez, who lives in Trenton, Kentucky.
A woman experiencing a medical emergency had crashed her car into Alvarez's property, missing her house by a few feet, hitting her porch and coming to rest in the yard.
When Alvarez ran outside to investigate, she saw smoke coming from the vehicle and immediately went to get a hammer to help free the person trapped inside.
Trenton Police Chief Henry Hamlet arrived moments later, his body camera capturing the urgent rescue effort.
Hamlet had spotted the car driving erratically on the road and initially suspected he was pursuing a vehicle that was stolen.
"I would have bet my week's paycheck it was a stolen vehicle," Hamlet said.
However, when he arrived at the crash scene, Hamlet found Alvarez already working to break the car's windows.
"That truck was already puffing smoke out the door seams," Hamlet said.
The two worked together desperately trying to break through the vehicle's windows as the fire inside continued to grow.
Body camera footage shows the intensity of the moment as the two finally managed to break through and pull the woman to safety.
The rescue came just in time.
After pulling the woman clear of the car, flames engulfed it.
"As soon as we stopped the first time in the yard, and I actually stepped back and looked myself, you know, you can see it's fire coming out the back glass already," Hamlet said.
The woman they saved is also a Trenton local, making the rescue even more meaningful for the tight-knit community.
Several other first responders arrived on scene shortly after the initial rescue.
As we learn more about the woman saved from the car, we will update this web article with donation and other information about her.
Update: I spoke with the woman injured in the car crash.
Her name is Lou Camp. While there is not a GoFundMe set up to help her, donations can be sent to the United Southern Bank in Trenton's Community Chest.
Bank leaders said checks can be sent to the following address with Trenton Accident marked on them.
United Southern Bank
PO Box 200
Trenton, KY 42286
"This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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