FREEPORT, MN : Watkins man rescued from fiery crash in west central Minnesota on Sunday, February 19th 2017

A Watkins man was pulled from a burning vehicle Sunday shortly before it was engulfed in flames.

A Stearns County Sheriff's deputy, a member of the Freeport Fire Department and neighbors who were at the scene of the crash were credited for rescuing the 23-year-old driver, Brent James Geislinger.

The incident was reported at 5:57 p.m. on Stearns County Road 11, about miles south of Freeport, when a 1998 Buick LeSabre Custom driven by Geislinger veered off the road and struck a driveway approach.

The car went airborne for a short distance and continued southbound into the ditch and landed in an open field.

According to the Stearns County Sheriff's report, the vehicle was smoking heavily and flames were coming from the bottom of the vehicle while Geislinger was trapped inside.

A fire extinguisher was used on the vehicle but was unsuccessful in eliminating all the flames. Several nearby neighbors and a Freeport firefighter arrived at the location and assisted the deputy in pulling Geislinger out of the driver's window before the car became engulfed.

One of the persons on scene helped use a fire extinguisher to reduce the flames until the driver was pulled from the vehicle safely.

Geislinger sustained injuries as a result from the crash and was airlifted to the St. Cloud Hospital for treatment.

The Melrose Ambulance and Freeport Fire Department assisted in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Source :
Watkins man rescued from fiery crash in west central Minnesota