Deputies, firefighters rescue man from burning car

It was a harrowing rescue in Citrus County as deputies arrived to a crash scene with a man trapped inside a minivan that had burst into flames and was upside down.

The vehicle and semi-trailer crashed Monday night near U.S. Highway 19 and Venable St. Ten deputies who responded used all their fire extinguishers to try and fight back the flames while also trying to use crow bars to get to the driver.

The doors were stuck, so deputies had to remove the windows to the minivan and crawl in to get to the driver and try to extinguish the flames.

The fire department arrived on the scene and firefighters were able to quickly put out the fire and rescue and pull the man to safety.

He suffered second and third degree burns, but is alive thanks to the first responders. “This was teamwork at its finest,” said Battalion Chief Keith Long after the incident. “We all came together perfectly to save this man, doing exactly what we were trained to do at the exact moment we were supposed to do it.”

The driver of the minivan is being treated at Tampa General Hospital. He's identified as Charles Anthony Boyd, 22. The driver of the semi-trailer was not injured.