The dramatic incident happened around 6:45 p.m. Monday. A 70-year-old man was backing up at a Citgo gas station when, according to police, he stepped on the gas instead of the brake. His SUV struck a gas pump that then toppled over onto a car that was at one of the pumps. The pump and the car then burst into flames.
Yesterday, the Farmington Police Department released surveillance footage from the gas station. In the upper left corner of the video the SUV can be seen backing up rather quickly while a woman is putting gas in her car at one of the pumps. The SUV can be seen striking the pump that then falls on the car. Within seconds, flames can be seen coming from the pump that is on top of the car.
The woman quickly opens the rear door of the car and pulls two boys, aged two and seven, from the vehicle. She grabs the older boy first and drags him away from the car. The woman then goes back and gets the two-year-old and carries him. A man who was also in the car managed to get out and the man, woman and older boy can be seen running away from the fire.
The rest of the footage shows the fire spreading, eventually completely engulfing the SUV. Thick black smoke can be seen rising from the fire.
Fortunately no one was injured. The car at the pump and the SUV were engulfed in flames were totalled while three other vehicles were damaged. The Farmington PD credits the woman clerk at the station for her quick action in shutting off the gas. Sgt. Tim McKenzie said had the clerk not done what she did it could have been a lot worse.
Police are still investigating. It is not known at this time if the 70-year-old unidentified driver of the SUV will face charges.
