Michael Byham of Ironworkers Local 6 was on his way home after a day repairing the Grand Island Bridge. Suddenly, in front of him there was a six car collision. He saw a white utility van ahead of him plow into the compact car asending it spinning into another lane of traffic. That same truck than struck an SUV and flipped it on its side. When all the vehicles came to a rest, Byham ran to the crumpled compact. Another motorist, Dr. Dietrich Jehle called out to people trying to help the woman in the flipped vehicle. A woman was stuck in the car but waving Jehle back to the smashed compact. A man and two children were trapped. When flames erupted a rescuer opened the back of the truck involved in the accident and grabbed tools to use to free the trapped victims. One man secured a fire extinguisher. Jehle grabbed an ax. Another man grabbed a hammer. None of the car doors would open. They used hammers, fire extinguishers, someone even brought out a battery-powered reciprocating saw in brief moments to spontaneously and quickly perform a complicated extrication of a dad and two sons trapped in a fiery car.
Our hats go off to Byham, Dr. Jehle and all the unnamed heroes who saved lives Thursday. See the Buffalo News.
