Bean Lane van fire near Bluewater: Three saved by passers-by after crash (From News Shopper)

Bean Lane van fire near Bluewater: Three saved by passers-by after crash

8:31am Monday 8th October 2012 in News By Robert Fisk

PASSERS-BY pulled three people from their burning van after a crash at a roundabout near Bluewater shopping centre last night (October 7).

All three casualties were believed to have suffered head injuries when their white van hit a lamp post in Bean Lane at around 11.30pm.

Emergency services were called to the scene to treat the two men and one woman before they were taken to hospital by ambulance.

One crew of firefighters from Dartford fire station helped the ambulance staff while the other crew put out the flaming vehicle.

The firefighters were at the scene for around an hour.

Alan Goldwater, his 23-year-old girlfriend Sarah Leggett and 23-year-old friends Ben Selby and Steph Christopher stopped at the scene after Ben witnessed the crash.

Mr Goldwater, who was on his way home after going to Bluewater's cinema, told News Shopper: "We noticed smoke coming from the air bags.

"We smashed the back window and pulled the first guy from the van and someone else got the girl out.

"We tried to get the third person out just as the fire got worse."

The 24-year-old added: "I'm just glad we managed to get all three of them out in time.

"I'm glad Ben noticed it otherwise we might have drove off."