“A vacationing firefighter from Canada reportedly helped save the life of an unconscious man inside a burning car in Fort Myers early Thursday.  

According to investigators, shortly after 2 a.m. the victim was driving near the intersection of Summerlin Road and Boy Scout Drive, when he lost control of his vehicle, jumped a curb and then slammed into a light pole, causing the car to burst into flames.  

A firefighter, on vacation from Ontario, saw everything happen. That's when he rushed to the burning vehicle and pulled the man out.  

Fort Myers police are investigating the incident to find out how the man lost control of his car. He was taken to the hospital with minor burns, cuts, and bruises.”

The accident took place just west of the Fort Myers airport:

It turns out, the vacationing firefighter is Kitchener Fire Department’s own, Nick Dorken. Firefighter Dorken is a 6 year veteran of Kitchener Fire and is from Innerkip, Ontario. Nick is also a friend of this site and has been photographed at a number of local incidents.

Congratulations Nick and well done! Enjoy the rest of your vacation.

Cheers,

IEH

Since breaking this story yesterday morning, I’m happy to see Nick’s efforts are finally getting some national attention. For more information see:

1. -The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)
   

2. -CKCO News (Southwestern Ontario)
   

3. -The Sun (Toronto)
   

- 24H (Montreal)

The story as it appears in The Record:

A vacationing Kitchener firefighter who came to the rescue of a man in a burning car in Florida Thursday said he’s no hero.

“No, I am just a firefighter off duty. And I would expect any other firefighter to do the same for me if it happens,” said Nick Dorken, 28, a six-year veteran of the Kitchener fire department.

Dorken, his wife Kim and two-year-old daughter Georgia were driving back to Fort Myers after a day at Walt Disney World shortly after 2 a.m. when Dorken saw in his rear-view mirror what he thought was a dumpster fire.

Dorken decided to turn around to check, and when he got closer he saw it was a car on fire.

The driver had lost control at an intersection, jumped a curb and then slammed into a hydro pole. The car burst into flames.

“Sure enough there was the driver in there all by himself, and in the middle of this wreck which was completely engulfed in fire. The ceiling, the back seats were all on fire and he was just sitting there unconscious, in front of the steering wheel.”

Dorken wasted no time. He grabbed the man and pulled him out of the burning wreck.

“It was dicey to go in and grab him because there was fire all around us. But he managed to come out of there, both him and I, without any burns.

“It was amazing ... I can’t believe that everything just aligned perfectly for him because if I had been 30 seconds later he would not have had a chance.

“It’s just surreal,” said the Innerkip resident.

Kitchener fire Chief Tim Beckett said the department is proud of Dorken.

“Nick was at the right place at the right time and he took action,” he said. “If Nick hadn’t been there ... that gentleman wouldn’t be with us today.”