Police pulled a 37-year-old man from a burning Jeep on Sunday after a crash in Holbrook, body camera footage showed.
Around 3:20 a.m., the Jeep drove off Pine Street, struck a utility pole and tree, and crashed into a retaining wall, police said. It also damaged various nearby properties, police said.
Police said they are seeking a summons to charge the driver with a second offense of operating under the influence, as well as negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and a marked lanes violation.
In body camera video, Jonathan O’Brien, the first officer on scene, is shown running towards the crash, which snapped the utility pole in half and left electrical wires hanging and fire spreading across the front of the vehicle.
“He’s on fire,” a bystander could be heard saying as the officer approached the Jeep. The driver was trapped, his foot pinned under a damaged dashboard, police said.
His foot and sneaker were on fire, police said.
Realizing the man couldn’t free himself, O’Brien began trying to pull him out of the car, the video shows, with Sgt. Martin Faherty and Officer Matthew Richards also assisting, police said.
“You’re going to rip my foot off,” the man said. “It’s getting hot.”
“Just pull as hard as you can, guys,” O’Brien responded, as the man cried out in pain.
Within a minute or so, the man was pulled loose and dragged to safety, police said.
O’Brien sustained minor burns on his fingers during the rescue, police said.
The driver was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.
“These officers did an incredible job under dangerous conditions,” said Holbrook’s police chief, David Del Papa. “The outcome would have been much different had they not arrived so quickly and acted immediately. Their quick response likely saved his life.”
The driver’s name has not been released pending the issuing of a criminal complaint, police said. The incident remains under investigation.
Bryan Hecht can be reached at bryan.hecht@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @bhechtjournalism.