An elderly woman was pulled to safety after her car caught fire Friday afternoon in Chicago’s Dunning neighborhood, with a bystander stepping in before firefighters arrived.
The vehicle was engulfed in flames in the 3200 block of North Orange Avenue, according to video shared on social media.
Tanya Fermin was outside when she noticed the woman still inside the vehicle. She said the elderly woman was sitting in the back passenger area and appeared to be looking for her purse.
Fermin quickly approached the car and urged the woman to get out.
“I had to tell her, ‘Ma’am, you have to get away from the car. The car’s going to explode any minute,’” Fermin said, describing the crackling sounds coming from the burning vehicle.
Fermin then helped the woman away from the car as flames continued to spread.
Firefighters arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze. Video from the area showed the vehicle heavily engulfed in flames in the middle of the street.
The woman’s condition was not immediately available.
The circumstances that led to the vehicle catching fire were also not immediately clear.
