A middle school teacher is credited with saving a handicapped driver after his van caught fire in Manchester Thursday afternoon.
Authorities said the man's car caught fire on an Interstate 384 East off-ramp.
The man was driving a mobility-limited van and was using a wheelchair. After smelling smoke and finding flames coming from the dash of his car, he pulled over to the side of the road.
Illing Middle School teacher Heather Sica-Leonard was driving down the ramp at the same time and saw the car ablaze. She immediately pulled over and approached the burning vehicle.
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"I was just reacting to what looked like a driver struggling and a vehicle smoking. I had no idea the fire had started because it was the lower side of the dash," Sica-Leonard told NBC Connecticut.
"When I saw it, I asked him if he was struck. He said 'No. I'm handicapped. I need my chair.' So I grabbed his chair, helped him get in and then moved away from the vehicle," she continued.
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Fire officials said she "selflessly got John and his wheelchair out of the car and moved him to safety," putting herself at risk in the process.
"Her actions averted an almost certain fatal outcome and prevented anyone from being injured," the fire department said.
The fire department put the fire out upon arrival. The van's fuel tank ruptured during the fire, causing a persistent fuel fire and spill which entered storm drains in the area. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) responded to the scene to assess the damage and coordinate cleanup efforts.
