MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Numerous first responders were helping on the Haulover Inlet Bridge moments after a single engine plane crashed on Saturday.
Local 10 News’ Sanela Sabovic spoke to a lifeguard and a fire fighter who were first on the scene.
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lifeguard, Ragnar Mendez, provided aid to the hurt passengers after springing into action when he heard the call on the radio.
Mendez said he’s no hero, he did what he had to do to save lives.
“We train to help the public, I’m not a hero,” he said. “As soon as we heard on the radio, we grabbed one of the vehicles from here and we went to the location.”
After arriving, Mendez said he found two men that were aboard the Cessna and provided aid to them.
“We secured the neck, the back, we put him on the backboard,” he said. “As soon as one of the rescue units arrived, we transferred that patient to them.”
The pilot’s name was Narciso Torres, a long time Miami based air traffic controller. He was sadly killed in the crash.
While Mendez was helping the victims, Miami-Dade County Firefighter Jacinto Hernandez, along with his crew, arrived to battle the flames coming from the Cessna.
“We responded up the ramp in our truck,” he said. “We can just see the flames and go into action to try and suppress the flames as quickly as possible.”
Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the flames.
“Initially it started with seven of us and it quickly grew into probably more than 20 something firefighters,” Hernandez said.
Three others, a mom and her two young children, were in a car that was hit by the plane before the crash landing. They miraculously survived.
The NTSB is heading the investigation into the crash.