Sims' metal employee saves man from blaze

Skip lorry driver, Steve Middleton, was driving his vehicle on his way to work when there was a collision between a gas tanker and a car travelling in the opposite direction near Sims’ Wimborne metals recycling site.

Steve, who has been a driver at Wimborne for 18 years, rushed to the aid of the car driver who was trapped in his vehicle. He helped extinguish the flames coming from the engine as the emergency services were called to the scene.

Steve said:  “The car came past me and I saw sparks coming from it. The front side had hit the front of the tanker and the tanker had spun about 90 degrees. Then I saw that the front of the car was alight and heard the chap calling for help. I grabbed the fire extinguisher out of my lorry and ran to put the fire out.  I saw smoke coming from the tanker too so I walked round it but couldn’t see anything.  The car driver was bleeding from his head and he seemed in a lot of pain. He kept putting his head over the wheel and I tried to calm him and talk to him until the ambulance arrived. I was a bit shaken up too, but I just reacted like anyone would do.”

Fire fighters took 45 minutes to free the injured driver before he was taken to hospital with a broken pelvis and legs.

CEO and Global SRS Graham Davy, said:  “This was a tremendous act of selfless courage shown by Steve. He was clearly thinking about the safety of the injured man.”