Sanitation department workers save woman from burning car in Winston-Salem
Two Winston-Salem Sanitation Department workers are being hailed heroes, after rescuing a woman from her burning car.
Antonio Bonilla and Archie Hardy were recognized by the Winston-Salem Fire Department Wednesday for their swift actions last month that saved a woman's life.
"Some people say right place right time," said Bonilla. "But I feel like the lord had me there."
Bravery and heroism lie behind the smiles of both Bonilla and Hardy.
"We were just glad we were able to stop it from becoming a major catastrophe," Bonilla said.
The two men were working their normal, ordinary shift back on July 1 when they witnessed something unusual.
"I heard a thump," Bonilla said. "And then I saw two cars come together."
A crash at a Country Club Road gas station left a woman trapped inside her burning car.
"The car started to smoke and she sat there," said Bonilla. "It was just smoking more and more. In a short amount of time, I started to see the blaze just come out from around the corner."
As the smoke and flames continued to take over, Bonilla and Hardy sprung into swift action.
"So I'm going toward her and said to her, 'I think you need to get out of the car,'" Bonilla said. "I grabbed her under the arms and I got her out."
It's a rescue that the two men will forever remember.
"The situation could've been terrible had they not went into action," said Winston-Salem Fire Department captain John Powell. "The vehicle was actually at the gas pump on fire."
"I was glad to be there to be able to help," said Bonilla. "Because after viewing that vehicle, if she wouldn't have been removed, it's a good chance things might have been different. I'm glad we were able to stop that from happening."
Bonilla tells WXII he even tried to use small fire extinguishers on the sanitation trucks to fight the flames before firefighters arrived on the scene.