Kitchener, Ont. man saves driver from burning car

A Kitchener, Ont. man is sharing his story about how he saved someone from a burning car on Highway 8.

On Friday, a car burst into flames and sent heavy smoke into the air along the shoulder of the highway. 

But, before the situation escalated, Cory Eldridge hopped into action.

“It only takes seconds for you to try to get out," the Kitchener resident said. "Or else there will be problems, right?”

Eldridge was on his normal commute home from Toronto when something on the side of the road caught his eye.

“As soon as I was coming around the bend and I saw the van, actually I had seen flames under the front side so I was like ‘oh, I gotta help,’” Eldridge told CTV News. “It just spread like wildfire, it was really fast.”

A vehicle fire on Hwy. 8 in Kitchener on Jan. 26, 2024. (Courtesy: Cory Eldridge)

Video shot by other drivers that afternoon show a large vehicle engulfed in flames.

“I rushed over right away and you know, being at the right time at the right place,” Eldridge said. “The tires were popping and going boom so I was like ‘okay let’s step back a it more’ but it was scary because we didn’t know what was going to happen right?

“If someone is in need or in trouble, I want to help them out. Poor guy was just heading home from getting repairs done on his vehicle.”

Eldridge said he went into ‘fight or flight mode’ and just wanted to help a person in need.

“Adrenaline is going…what can I do?” he said. “You don’t think about the dangers, I just wanted to get in and help and make sure he was safe.”

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said the driver of the vehicle was not injured and the incident was a result of a mechanical issue.

This is the second vehicle fire in Kitchener this week. A car caught fire on Fischer-Hallman Road Wednesday. All of the people inside that vehicle made it our unharmed.

Eldridge said the gratitude he received from the driver was heartwarming.

“He was so happy, he gave me a hug and I dropped him off where he had to go and yeah, he was really happy,” Eldridge explained.

After reflecting on Friday’s ordeal, Eldridge said he would do it again.

“It makes me feel happy like it makes you feel gratitude…that’s the best thing in the world,” he said. “If I can help someone, I’ll do it again no problem.”

In light of the past two incidents, OPP is reminding the public the importance of acting fast and immediately calling 911 in a dangerous situation.