Man Pulls Driver From Burning Car by Bending Locked Door With His Hands

A Woodbury man saved a driver's life Sunday when he pried open a locked door with his bare hands and pulled the man from his burning car. 

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, which shared the story on Facebook, Robert Renning was driving south near Interstate 35W and County Road D in New Brighton when he noticed a car on fire.

He flagged down the driver, Michael Johannes of Minneapolis, and both men pulled over. Johannes' car became engulfed in smoke and the electronic locks and windows failed, according to police. 

"The frantic driver unsuccessfully tried to kick out the windows," the state patrol said on Facebook. "Renning ran to the car and — with his bare hands — bent the locked door in half from the top down. The glass shattered and Renning reached in and pulled Johannes to safety."

Johannes suffered minor smoke inhalation and had light cuts. Renning was unharmed. Trooper Zachary Hill responded to the scene.

“He did an extraordinary deed, bending a locked car door in half of a burning car to extricate a trapped person,” Hill said. “I feel this man deserves any and all commendation for his extraordinary life-saving measure that kept another from burning alive.”