A dramatic dashcam video captures New Jersey State Police rescuing an unconscious man from a burning car. The incident was sparked by an iPhone feature that alerted authorities and potentially saved his life.
Safwan Islam, 26, was driving on Route 27 near Franklin Township when he reportedly experienced a medical episode, causing him to crash into a tree, as noted by WABC.
Islam remained unconscious when his phone activated the “Severe Collision Call” feature, which automatically dials emergency services after a 20-second countdown.
Officers Yash Shroff and Thomas Cytos arrived on the scene to find the vehicle engulfed in flames. They broke the driver’s side window and pulled Islam out amidst the fire.
“This is a miracle in every sense of the word,” stated the South Brunswick Police. “The officers acted heroically. Watching the video, it’s shocking to see the flames so close as they pulled him from the wreckage.”
The police further remarked, “Within moments, it changed to a complete inferno. I’d call this the Thanksgiving Miracle.”
The violent crash happened on November 9, but after surgeries on his back and neck, Islam returned home to his family on Tuesday.
Naushad, his father, expressed his gratitude in a letter to the officers who saved his son’s life.
“Thank you is all I can say. For them, it’s part of their job, but for me, it’s about having my son back with his family. I can’t thank them enough,” Naushad told NBC New York.
“He’s recovering well and talking now. At first, we were so worried about his condition—it seemed dire,” Naushad shared.
“He’s doing much better now. Given everything he’s gone through, I really believe this was divine intervention,” he added.
The cause of the accident is still being investigated by Franklin Township police, who have not yet commented on the matter.
