A NASCAR driver and U.S. Navy lieutenant saved the day for a California family whose minivan burst into flames.
Jesse Iwuji was on his way home from a race at Sonoma Raceway, north of San Francisco, last weekend on I-5 when he noticed the family standing near the vehicle as the fire started.
He said as he walked toward the minivan, he could see a small fire underneath and a lot of fluid leaking from the vehicle. Iwuji said people were still in and around the vehicle.
Iraq War Veteran Saves Trooper by Putting Suspect in Chokehold
Incredible Rescue: Idaho Youth Football Team Lifts Car to Free Crash Victim
Safety safety safety guys and girls. I saw a small little fire underneath this family of 4’s van and I knew right then it was about to be bad news. I’m glad I stopped and got them away because they were still worried about getting stuff out the car. Things went from small to bad pic.twitter.com/av6C7j76Nd
— Jesse Iwuji (@Jesse_Iwuji) June 25, 2018
"Being around race cars and in the military and knowing how quickly flammable fluids can go from a small fire to a big fire, I decided I needed to stop," he explained on "America's Newsroom."
Iwuji quickly directed the family of four to move a safe distance away from the minivan and soon after, the whole vehicle was an inferno. He said he was in his fifth hour of a six-hour drive home when he saw the vehicle.
"I don’t consider myself a hero. I just think that I was doing the right thing, and I think that it’s something that anyone could have done," he said.
The 30-year-old drives the #36 Chevy for Patriot Motorsports Group in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He finished 15th in Saturday's race at Sonoma.
Watch the interview above.
'God Put Me in Right Place at Right Time': FL Deputy Saves Unresponsive Infant
A Previously Homeless Veteran Got His Degree and Is Now a VA Hospital Nurse
Puppy in Texas Rescued After Getting Head Stuck in Car Wheel
Shannon Bream Helps Dying Boy Connect With 'Avengers' Stars
