Off-Duty Firefighter Saves Woman From Burning Car: Brookfield Fire

BROOKFIELD, CT — Off-duty White Plains, NY firefighter and Brookfield resident, Nicholas Perri Jr., is being credited with saving a woman's life as her car burst into flames early Saturday, fire officials said.

At 3:13 a.m. Saturday, Brookfield Fire and EMS were dispatched to Route 7 North in the area of the Junction Road overpass for a single car accident with fire and entrapment, officials said.

Paramedic Ambulance 18-1 was returning from Danbury Hospital from a medical call and was on scene within 1 minute. Upon arrival, they found a heavily involved vehicle with a bystander removing the injured driver, fire officials said.

Perri came upon the accident while heading home. "Without the protection of gear or a hose line, he gained access to the well involved vehicle and successfully removed the badly injured female driver as flames were entering the passenger compartment," fire officials said. "He carried the patient to EMS where she was treated and transported to Danbury Hospital. Mr Perri was treated on scene for minor injuries and refused transport. His actions are a testament to him, the White Plains FD, and the fire service as a whole."