Hero, 38, drags elderly couple out of burning car before it exploded

•  Recovery driver Chris Jarvis, 38, initially thought the couple had broken down
•  However he noticed smoke pouring out of the bonnet of the Renault Kangoo 
•  Mr Jarvis hauled the elderly couple to safety moments before it explode

A have-a-go-hero dramatically saved an elderly couple by dragging them out to safety from their burning car seconds before it exploded in a fireball.

Chris Jarvis, 38, was driving to work in Powick, near Worcester, on Thursday morning when he spotted a Renault Kangoo with smoke pouring out from the bonnet.

The recovery driver initially pulled over to see if he could assist, but swiftly leapt into action when he saw it was on fire.

Mr Jarvis managed to drag the elderly male driver and his frail wife out of the motor just moments before it was engulfed in flames.

Dramatic pictures show the car in flames during the incident in Malvern Road.

A have-a-go-hero hauled a couple out of their Renault Kangoo after spotting it with smoke pouring out from the bonnet in Powick, Worcester, on Thursday

The couple were brought to safety just moments before the vehicle burst into flames

A crew from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the vehicle fire

Mr Jarvis has now been hailed a hero for his fearless actions.

He said: ‘I was just leaving home and I saw this car. I saw the smoke and I thought it was steam from the radiator.

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‘I had a look underneath the bonnet and saw the fire. It was right by the battery, so it was an electrical fire.

‘I just said to the couple ‘if I were you I would get out as fast as you can’.

The couple retrieved some belongings and were taken to safety, but the elderly man then wanted to return to his car for another item.

‘I ran after him and grabbed him around his waist and pulled him out.

‘There was something in the vehicle he wanted, we all do it.

‘It was the beginning of the inferno. We walked to my car and then it started.

‘The tyres went. It was only about a minute or two.

‘He wouldn’t have moved quick enough to get out. He would’ve been struggled to get out.

‘They were a bit shaken up. The old boy said it never happened to him in all his years of driving.

‘They were on the way to hospital when the engine started smoking.’

Recovery driver Chris Jarvis, 38, helped the elderly couple to safety after seeing the car fire

Chris Jarvis has been hailed a hero for helping to save the lives of the elderly driver and his wife

Firefighters dashed to the scene and quickly extinguished the blaze which completely destroyed the car.

A crew from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene at 10.13am.

A statement said: ‘A car was well alight and the fire was fought by one firefighter wearing breathing apparatus.

‘Two occupants were checked over and advised to attend Accident and Emergency.

‘The vehicle was checked for hot spots using a thermal imaging camera and highways were informed due to potential damage to the road.’

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