Former Eagle saves man's life after fiery train crash originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Bair saved a man from a flaming semi-truck that had crashed into a train in St. Anthony, Idaho.
Bair, who played in Philadelphia from 2015 to 2016, said that he was driving to his business on Thursday evening when he noticed the crash.
“There was an explosion right away, and the train was pushing the truck down the tracks,” Bair told East Idaho News. "I got on the phone with 911 and started driving down the median to get to the front of the train when it stopped.”
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As the 6-foot-6, 260-pound former lineman approached the scene, he heard the voice of 25-year old Steven Jenson inside the truck and made a conscious decision to help.
“I ran up to the window and saw dripping hot flames all over inside of the truck. I could see a guy in a seatbelt and was able to reach in and get it off of him. He was talking, and I told him we had to get out of here now.” Bair recalled.
Bair climbed halfway into the vehicle to help Jenson break the steering wheel and other equipment before pulling him out of the rear window between the passenger and driver's seat.
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“We walked away, and within seconds, the fire on the roof fell down inside, and the whole seat and cab went up in flames. A few minutes later, there were a couple big booms and explosives,” Bair said.
Once emergency responders arrived, Jenson was airlifted to a hospital in the area and was in stable condition Friday morning, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Bair didn't consider himself a hero but was glad he could help.
“All I can say is this guy was supposed to live. I’m a man of faith, and I’ve learned to listen to your gut and the promptings you get,” Bair said.
