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Nicholas Perri: Off-duty firefighter who saved woman from burning car says his 'instinct kicked in'

Nicholas Perri was on his way home to Connecticut after finishing a shift when he saw the burning car on the side of the road

BROOKFIELD, CONNECTICUT: A hero firefighter who was not on duty rescued a woman hurt in a vehicle accident who "would have burned to death" without the man's timely help. According to authorities, the woman was removed from her automobile on Saturday, November 26 without the support of safety gear or a hose line by New York firefighter Nicholas Perri Jr. 

Around 3.15 in the morning, Perri was traveling home from his own shift with the White Plains Fire Department when the event occurred near Brookfield, Connecticut. The woman was found to be unconscious inside the single-vehicle car crash that Perri came across. Perri stated in an interview after the rescue, "Instinct, training kicked in and I ran in and did the best I could to get her out." 

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The brave firefighter actually got a piece of clothing charred since he was so close to the fire, according to a statement from the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company. The statement reads, "The jacket he was wearing was burned from the fire. If not for the courageous actions of Mr Perri, the operator would have burned to death in her vehicle." Without thinking twice, Perri sprang into action to save the woman, suffering just minor wounds in the process. Perri said, "I assessed how she was in there, and then I broke the front passenger window. I was able to get one of her legs free; the other was pretty mangled — it was giving me a hard time," as cited by Daily Mail.

According to the authorities, the man arrived at the woman just as the fires started spreading to the car's passenger side. Perri told, "I was just yelling, 'You got to work with me because we are running out of time here,"' Perri can be seen carrying the woman to rescue as they approach the accident scene in dashcam footage from the event night. The automobile was visible in flames as emergency personnel (EMS) and firefighters arrived on the site. People on the scene and in the field are now hailing the man's response as brave. The Brookfield volunteer organization stated, "His actions are a testament to him, the White Plains FD, and the fire service as a whole." After the incident, the woman was transported to a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. She is reportedly in the ICU, according to one account. Nobody else was hurt in the incident.

People on social media also praised Perri for his brave act calling him a "Hero." One user on Twitter wrote, "That scenario plays out by multiple medical personnel every day in Hospital's Emergency Departments. Not only are they risking their lives but the lives of their family members. There is not always time to get personal protective equipment. He did his job."

A user on facebook wrote, "Incredible bravery and selfless heroism. Thank you FF Perri." Another user said, That driver certainly had a guardian angel on her side!! Wishing her a quick recovery. Nick Perri your bravery and dedication to your job is heroic to say the least….thank you to all who run towards harms way to help those in need."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.