Following up on the truck crash that caught fire on the Edens Expressway last night. Earlier, we reported that:
The car’s occupants had already exited before emergency services arrived, thanks to the quick actions of other drivers. Three people, including two from the car that was trapped under the trailer, were taken to the hospital.
The Chicago Tribune recently published a story highlighting the heroic efforts of several good Samaritans who helped save lives during the incident.
The Hechtman brothers, who had just closed their restaurant in Skokie on Sunday night, were driving home when the semi-truck in front of them swerved on the Edens Expressway near Tower Road, hit another car, and caught fire.
Without hesitation, Ken Hechtman pulled over, and the two brothers rushed toward opposite sides of the burning truck. As they approached, they felt intense heat and saw thick smoke rising into the sky. They also heard the truck explode twice, according to Ken Hechtman, who spoke with the newspaper today.
Daniel Hechtman, 54, ran toward the front of the semi and helped pull a passenger from the flaming compartment. He carried the man’s limp body to the side of the road, where the man began shaking violently, as if having a seizure, Daniel said.
Meanwhile, Ken Hechtman, the older brother, headed toward the back of the truck to stop traffic. Instead, he heard voices calling for help from underneath the vehicle.
“I heard the screaming and there was nothing else in my mind but to run toward the voices,†Ken said. “There was no time to think. It’s all adrenaline.â€
As he approached, he spotted a car trapped beneath the truck with a woman and a young girl lying next to it. The woman’s hair was on fire, and flames covered the back of the girl’s jacket, Ken recalled.
He managed to pull the two out from under the truck and put out the flames. Then, he carried the little girl across the busy expressway as cars zoomed by.
According to Illinois State Police, the accident occurred around 9:10 p.m. when a northbound truck near Northbrook struck a car while merging from the right lane into the center lane. The truck then swerved sharply to the right, hitting a second car before losing control and crashing into a wall on the left shoulder of the highway.
Four people were injured in the crash, one critically. One of the truck’s gas tanks caught fire after the collision.
A person with third-degree burns is in critical condition at Loyola University Medical Center, police said. Another motorist was taken to Loyola, and two others were transported to Evanston Hospital, all with minor injuries.
Among those injured, a 10-year-old girl and a 39-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries, according to a police spokesperson. A 49-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Police have cited the truck driver for improper lane usage, lack of insurance, and failure to display a medical card and log book.
Thanks, Chris
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