Tragedy was recently avoided in Joshua thanks to four McDonald’s employees and a firefighter, who rescued a driver from a burning car. All five were presented with life saving awards from the city of Joshua for their heroic actions after the July 3 wreck.
“One of the great treasures — probably the greatest treasure — of being chief is getting to recognize individuals in your department that excel,” Fire Chief Thomas Griffith said during Thursday’s Joshua City Council meeting. “Tonight we’re going to do that, as well as four members of the community who helped and assisted in helping save a life.”
Early in the morning July 3, a driver drifted off the road on Texas 174, striking a culvert in the middle of the intersection at Stadium Drive. The car to spun out of control and flipped on the far side of the intersection.
General Manager Magen Rivera, Shift Leader in Training Tracie Vaughn, Maintenance Team Member Everett Vaughn and Shift Leader in Training Jasper Washburn were inside the newly opened McDonald’s nearby, and saw the wreck happen.
All four immediately sprung into action, pulling fire extinguishers from the restaurant and rushing to the scene to put out the fire.
“These four employees acting as quickly as they did allowed time for the fire personnel to arrive on the scene and finish the rescue,” Griffith said. “If it wasn’t for these four individuals, the individual who was rescued from that vehicle may not have survived.”
Griffith presented the four with life saving awards, while those attending gave them a standing ovation.
“We’re just happy that we were there that day and able to help them,” Rivera said. “Right time, right place.”
Griffith, who lives not far from the scene of the accident, came out to see the scene.
“When I arrived on the scene I noticed that this vehicle was smoking,” he said. “As I got out of my vehicle and started to approach the wrecked vehicle, I saw flames in the passenger compartment.”
The engine company, led by Lt. Luke Burgdorf and fire firefighter Wesley Briggs, had arrived shortly before Griffith and started working quickly to extract the driver from the vehicle.
“When I was walking up to the vehicle, I observed was Lt. Burgdorf inside of the vehicle, through the driver’s window,” Griffith said. “There was a great deal of smoke coming out at that time and he was reaching in the vehicle. Just as I walked up, he pulled the driver up, outside the window of the vehicle.”
As soon as that driver was removed from the vehicle, the inside of the passenger compartment erupted into flames and thick, black smoke.
“If that individual had not been removed when they were, there is no doubt to me that they would have suffered some serious physical dangers or possibly even worse,” Griffith said.
Burgdorf works for the department part-time and is also a firefighter for the Arlington Fire Department.
“We are very glad to have him with us,” Griffith said. “He is a great leader for our young and growing fire department.”
This is the second time Burgdorf has received a life saving award from Joshua. He was presented with a commendation and a ribbon with a star signifying it is his second commendation.
“Without individuals like Lt. Burgdorf and the individuals that work for our city, our citizens would not have the protection that they have,” Griffith said. “I want to thank the council and our city manager and other staff for giving us the resources we need to make that happen. It is very much appreciated.”
Burgdorf thanked the audience for the award, but said he would expect the same from anyone in his department.
“I was just the one there that morning,” he said. “I have full confidence that if you replaced me with any of our other members the outcome would have been the same.”