April 30--ANDOVER -- New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch and his state police escort are being credited with helping save a man injured in a horrific crash on Interstate 93 last night.
Lynch and his wife were traveling north on Interstate 93 near Exit 44 at about 6:45 p.m. when they watched a road rage incident unfold in front of them, according to N.H. State Police. Lynch, his wife and the trooper accompanying them on official business stopped to help.
They watched as a serious accident, resulting in injuries, entrapment and an explosive fire, resulted from the incident, police said.
Upon seeing the disaster unfold in front of them, Trooper Scott Frye grabbed a fire extinguisher from his cruiser and tried to help the victim. Meanwhile, Lynch called 911 for help.
Keith Knight, an off-duty Manchester firefighter also stopped. Knight and Frye worked to free the occupant of the vehicle that crashed -- after going over a guardrail and down an embankment. That vehicle had rolled onto the driver's side and caught fire.
The driver was pinned in the vehicle, and begged Frye and the firefighter to get him out before he burned, police said. The pair tried to free him, but his legs were wedged under the dashboard of the burning vehicle, police said.
Frye broke through the windshield, moved the driver's seat, reached under the dashboard and freed the victim's legs.
The car was nearly fully engulfed in flames at that point, but Frye managed to pull the victim over the dashboard and out through the windshield, with Knight's help.
Just seconds after the rescuers pulled the man to safety, the car was completely engulfed in flames.
Frye was treated at a local hospital for smoke and chemical inhalation, as wells as minor cuts and scrapes, according to N.H. State Police. He was treated and later released.
The incident is being investigated by Massachusetts State Police Troop A in Andover.
Copyright 2012 - The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
