FIFE, Wash. — When Muhammad Malkawi saw a car on fire off of 54th avenue and Interstate 5, his first thought is, of course, the driver got out, right?
He was driving a friend home that Friday night, August 16th. They took a different route than normal, a route Malkawi now feels is fate.
As he got closer, phone in hand recording what was in front of him, he saw a person struggling to get out.
“I realize there is a person inside who is like screaming and crying trying to get himself out.” Malkawi said.
He, his friend and a group of other people passing by jumped into action. The car was burning from the rear with flames moving towards the front end. The door wouldn’t open, one man tried punching the driver side window open, that didn’t work.
Muhammad’s friend grabbed a pole from the debris on the on ramp and the group tried prying the windshield open as the flames grew. Finally, Muhammad yanked the door as hard as he could. As he did, the added heat from inside created a fire ball that sprawled out upon the rescuers. They grabbed the man out of the car and carried him several yards away.
“I am even surprised of myself how I jumped to the car and got him out, " Malkawi said, “It was like seconds between the fire [catches] him and [he dies] and [we] save him alive and get him out of the car. Unbelievable.”
Tacoma Fire transported the man who has not yet been identified. He had non-life-threatening injuries.
Malkawi wanted to save the man, but also save him from the scars Muhammad has had since his childhood.
He was burned after getting into paint thinner at the age of six. He remembers the flames surrounding him and reaching above his head. His dad, a veteran of the Jordanian Air Force, grabbed him and buried him in sand to put out the flames.
The short-lived fire left scars on his face and body Muhammad has had for the rest of his life.
“From six years old until I would say 19 years old have been [a] really hard time. Doing different face lift surgeries, different kinds of treatments to have normal skin.”
He doesn’t expect anyone to run towards a burning car like he did but, Muhammad does hope that people do make the extra effort to help out other people.
“You might hurt yourself as well, but I would encourage people to have the faith, have the empathy to help others.”
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