One injured after car catches on fire

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Alabama (WALA) - A burning car brought traffic to a halt Friday on the Dauphin Island bridge for an hour and a half. A Coast Guard man, here to help with the oil spill was leaving the island, and was the first to reach the scene. The man is in critical condition at USA Medical Burn Center.

Just before Lt. Wayne Miller crossed over the very top of the Dauphin Island Bridge, he saw a horrific sight.

"I saw a vehicle that looked like it had just crashed. It was stationary smoking and on fire," Miller said.

Miller is in the Coast Guard and is stationed on Dauphin Island to help in the oil spill response effort.

He said he jumped out of his car immediately and asked where the driver was, then he saw him trapped inside. Miller said he and a group of people tried to find something to break open the window with.

"Trying to get these windows open and no one could find anything. No crow bars or anything, so I ran to a pick up truck and found an aluminum pipe and went and busted the windows out," explained Miller.

Miller said the driver was badly burned, but conscious. He said he was talking but in serious pain from the burns on his upper body.

"Somebody threw me some leather work gloves that helped tremendously and some straps and I was able to pull him out of the drivers side of the car," Miller added.

Miller and a few others got the man out of the car within seconds.

"It was already in flames, but it was fully engulfed within 15 or 10 seconds of us getting him out," said Miller.

The driver was rushed to USA Medical Center's Burn Unit, and as of 4:45 Friday afternoon, he was listed in critical condition.

Miller still doesn't even know the full name of the man he pulled from car, but says he would do it again.

"It's nothing the majority of my Coast Guard partners wouldn't have done or any other wouldn't have done or tried," added Miller.

Officials said they aren't sure why the car caught fire before running into the wall.

Life flight and a Coast Guard helicopter were both called to assist in the rescue, but were unable to come to the bridge because of storms in the area.