Orlando firefighter reunites with woman he saved in fiery crash

ORLANDO, Fla. – A woman who struggled for air in a fiery crash reunited with the Orlando firefighter who gave her his own mask and air pack, saving her life.

The Orlando Fire Department posted Monday morning a photo of the two in the hospital. Lt. Bassel Ibrahim told News 6 after the crash, “I truly believe that if we were literally 30 seconds delayed that the young lady would not have made it.”

[TRENDING: Jif peanut butter recalled over potential salmonella contamination | Florida lottery winner discovers unemployment benefits collected by imposter | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

“Faith is making a great recovery days after the crash that left her trapped upside down in a vehicle that was on fire and billowing smoke, so much so that Lt. Ibrahim gave up his airpack so that she could breathe through the extrication process of the entire Tower 15 crew that luckily got her out in time,” the department wrote on Facebook.

[STORY CONTINUES BELOW]

The crash happened near the intersection of Narcoosee Road and Northlake Parkway last week. A lieutenant told News 6 the woman was a passenger in the car and she told investigators they were racing before the crash.

Orlando fire officials said the woman was heavily entrapped and there were so many flames causing heavy smoke and making it hard to breathe.

“She was literally gasping for air, sucking in all that smoke,” Ibrahim said.

He said they were able to break the rear window of the car to reach the woman, and that’s when he removed his mask and air pack, putting it on her and ultimately saving her life.

“This is not about me, or any of my crew members, it’s about the people we serve,” he said. “I truly believe that all of us would’ve done the exact same thing.”

Police told News 6 that the driver, as of now, will not face charges because no one was there to witness the crash and what led to it.