An off-duty Orlando firefighter was in the right place at the right time Saturday morning after witnessing a fiery collision involving a sheriff’s deputy.
The Orlando Fire Department said Lt. Ben Wootson was driving his son to a soccer game when he saw a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office vehicle crash into an overpass bridge. The deputy was not responding to a call prior to the incident.
Wootson made sure her son was safe before leaving her car to check on the deputy.
Shortly after the incident, the SCSO vehicle caught fire and Wootson was able to remove the trapped deputy from his squad car before it became engulfed in flames.
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Orlando Fire Lt. Ben Wootson pulls a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office deputy from a burning patrol vehicle. (Orlando Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1365/Facebook)
After he was brought to safety, Wootson used the deputy’s radio to notify dispatch that an officer was down and provided his exact location, an OFD union Facebook post said. He also requested medical assistance from the Fire Department.
FOX 35 Orlando reported the deputy was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital. He was in stable condition Saturday evening.
“Lt. Wootson’s bravery and sacrifice is a reminder that firefighters are NEVER off duty and that training and preparing for situations like this can make all the difference when seconds count,” OFD wrote on Facebook .
A Seminole County (FL) Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle after it caught fire. (Orlando Fire Commission/Facebook)
A Seminole County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle caught fire after crashing into a bridge. (Orlando Fire Commission/Facebook)
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The department’s union praised Wootson for his “quick thinking and good judgment” that saved the deputy’s life.
“His actions [exemplify] what is it like to be an orlando firefighter. We are never out of service and always ready to step in and help however we can,” the post read. “I know you will be as proud of him and his heroic actions as we are.”
Lt. Ben Wootson (middle) is recognized for saving the life of a Seminole County Sheriff’s deputy after a fiery collision. (Orlando Fire Commission)
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The cause of the accident is under investigation.
