Oak Brook officers pulled off a dramatic early-morning rescue on eastbound I-88 when they crawled beneath an overturned, burning sedan to free its trapped sole occupant. The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. after a patrol officer reported a sedan speeding on Route 83 with its lights off. The driver and two officers suffered only minor injuries and were treated and released; Illinois State Police are handling the investigation.
Dramatic I-88 Rescue: Oak Brook Officers Crawl Under Burning Overturned Car to Save Trapped Driver
An Oak Brook police officer approaches the overturned sedan as flames spit up from its engine compartment.
Early Sunday morning, Oak Brook police officers performed a dramatic rescue on eastbound Interstate 88, crawling beneath an overturned, burning sedan to free a trapped motorist after a high-speed crash, authorities said.
Rescue and Response
The incident occurred at about 3:40 a.m. when a patrol officer on routine duty reported seeing a sedan traveling at high speed on Route 83 with its lights off before it merged onto eastbound I-88, the Oak Brook Police Department said. When the officer moved to investigate, he encountered the crash scene: the vehicle had rolled over and the engine compartment was fully engulfed in flames.
Responding officers crawled underneath the wrecked car to locate the driver.
Dashcam footage released by police shows the initial responding officer and additional Oak Brook officers using fire extinguishers to knock down the flames while attempting to reach the occupant. With the car overturned and fire spreading, the responders crawled beneath the vehicle and were able to pull the sole occupant out to safety.
Injuries and Investigation
The driver and two officers sustained minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. All three were treated at a nearby hospital and later released, officials said. Police later determined the crashed vehicle was the same sedan first observed speeding on Route 83.
Officers reached the driver and were able to free him before dragging him to safety away from the burning car.
Illinois State Police have taken over the crash investigation, and Oak Brook officials said dashcam video was released as part of the department’s public briefing.
Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strocki praised the officers:
"There is no doubt that their actions saved this individual’s life. I am grateful that only minor injuries were sustained, and I could not be more proud of their bravery and professionalism."
The department continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the high-speed crash. Anyone with information or relevant footage is asked to contact Illinois State Police or the Oak Brook Police Department.
