City honours firefighter for off-duty actions
18-year veteran was heading to work when he pulled man from burning car
A firefighter who was off-duty when he pulled a man from a burning SUV in the midst of a snowstorm was honoured at city hall on Tuesday.
Edmonton Fire Rescue firefighter Chris Scott was heading to work on April 16 when he spotted a three-vehicle collision near Anthony Henday Drive and the Campbell Road exit. The car at the back of the pileup was engulfed in flames.
He pulled over and went to see if everyone was OK. Occupants of two vehicles were accounted for, but no one was sure about the burning SUV.
“I tried to look inside, but couldn’t really see anything because it was smoky and the airbags were off,” he said.
Scott checked all the doors, finally discovering the back passenger door was unlocked.
“I opened it and yelled out and David said, ‘Yeah, I’m in here.’”
David Liska was driving his SUV when his blood sugar dropped because of a medical condition. He said his ability to react failed and he rear-ended the vehicle in front of him. He became trapped inside as flames began to engulf the front of the car.
“It started quickly and the airbags were on fire. My shoes started to melt,” Liska said. But then Scott arrived.
“I just climbed in the back, grabbed him under the arms and pulled him out,” the firefighter said.
Scott said with the high winds fanning the flames, it’s likely Liska only had about 15 to 20 seconds more before being unable to escape.
By the time fire trucks arrived after being held up by traffic and bad weather, all three vehicles involved in the mishap were burning.
Scott, who has been a firefighter for 18 years, said the rescue was an unusual one. Normally at similar crashes people are already out of their vehicles, or they haven’t been able to escape and it is too late.
When the ambulance arrived, Liska was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, and Scott went to work.
They reunited some time later for coffee.
On Tuesday, the two men were back together again when Scott was honoured at city hall for his actions.
After Mayor Don Iveson read the story of what happened in council chambers, the crowd in the gallery got to its feet and gave Scott a standing ovation.
“It was pretty overwhelming. I had a lot of friends there too, so I was feeling pretty humbled that everybody showed up in support,” he said.
Scott said he doesn’t like to be the centre of attention, but to Liska he’s a hero.
“Even though he sees it as his duty, his duty is heroic,” Liska said.
Both men agree they’ll remain friends for years to come.
It was pretty overwhelming. I had a lot of friends there ... so I was feeling pretty humbled that everybody showed up.”