SCPD: Two Good Samaritans Rescue Man from Hauppauge Car Fire
Hauppauge, NY - July 20, 2017 - Suffolk County Police responded to an incident in which two Good Samaritans helped rescue a man from a burning car after he crashed in Hauppauge on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at approximately 4:53 p.m.
Paul Gross suffered an apparent medical incident and crashed into a tree on Townline Road at approximately 4:53 p.m. The car started to catch fire. Volunteer Fireman Stephen Matteo heard the crash from his residence and rushed to the scene. Matteo flagged down a passing motorist, Edmund Quinones to help pull the unconscious man out of his vehicle.
Matteo and other Good Samaritans provided medical care on the scene and helped revive Gross. Briana Stettner, 19, of Hauppauge, heard the crash and went in the intersection of Townline Road and Hoffman Lane and stopped traffic, so emergency vehicles could get to the scene.
Gross, 53, of Mount Sinai, New York, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital by Smithtown Fire Department with several non-life-threatening injuries. Matteo, 31, of Hauppauge, and Quinones, 57, of Ronkonkoma, New York, did not suffer injuries. The heat was so severe Matteo’s watch burned.
The investigation is continuing.