Portland police released body camera footage of first responders pulling a woman from a car on fire

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After a crash happened in Southeast Portland Monday night, the driver called 911 saying she was pinned and on fire.

When Portland Police Bureau officers responded to the scene of the crash near Southeast Mt. Scott Boulevard and Southeast 112th Avenue, they saw the rolled-over car had hit a tree and heard several small explosions. The engine compartment was engulfed in flames.

Portland Fire and Rescue firefighters also responded and broke the vehicle’s windshield. Both firefighters and police officers pulled the 47-year-old woman out of the car.

For PPB Sergeant Sarah Kerwin, it began as a normal night until she and the other officer on duty were called to the car crash.

“This was the first time I’ve ever, honestly, like seeing anything like this or having somebody call in saying, ‘I’m trapped,'”.

When Kerwin arrived to the scene, she said she couldn’t believe her eyes. She saw the driver sitting in the driver’s seat. Kerwin later realized the woman was passed out across the passenger seat after her seatbelt burned through.

“Watching the body cam, it felt slower than it felt at the time,” Kerwin said. “It was so intensely hot and the smoke was so toxic that we were coughing, so we could not get close.”

After Portland Fire and Rescue arrived, they worked with officers to free the woman trapped inside the car.

“I just moved up, and we worked on extrication and I realized she wasn’t breathing,” Kerwin recalled.

Officers and firefighters began lifesaving measures, including CPR.

“It was really intense because there is so much smoke you can’t even see in there. And we felt pretty helpless. But I-I mean, I can’t reiterate how amazing it was, how quickly Portland Fire got there and started that process so fast,” Kerwin said.

The driver was later taken to a hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive.

“I felt that this was the epitome of the call that you train for, and that Portland Fire was critical in-in like getting her out of the vehicle because, like, I just don’t think we could have safely done it,” Kerwin said.

According to police, the woman was cited for DUI (alcohol) and reckless driving.