Volunteer firefighter saves woman from fiery crash near Nanaimo

A woman in her early 20s sustained significant injuries and was transported to hospital. (East Wellington Fire Department)

A volunteer firefighter with the East Wellington Fire Department near Nanaimo, B.C., is being credited for going above and beyond after rescuing a woman from a burning vehicle.

The incident happened just after midnight Saturday on Munroe Road.

Firefighter Mark McCallum heard the crash from his home and went outside to see.

The seven-year volunteer veteran called in the crash and went to investigate.

A neighbour at the scene told him there was someone in the car, which had crashed into a tree and was laying in a ditch.

McCallum went down the embankment and managed to pry open the passenger-side door and pull the woman to safety.

"I kind of knew that I had to step up and there wasn’t anybody else to turn to at that point," said McCallum. "It’s kind of a life-or-death situation."

Minutes later, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.

"We are proud of him. He went above and beyond and did what he had to do,” says East Wellington Fire Department Capt. Darcy Morgan.

A woman in her early 20s sustained significant injuries and was transported to hospital.

Family of the driver have reached to McCallum to thank him for his actions.