Publix employee honored for bravery after saving man from burning car

LAKELAND, Fla. - A Publix employee who saved a man trapped in a burning car is being hailed as a hero for his bravery.

Lakeland Fire Rescue honored Glenn Chancey on Wednesday, presenting him with a certificate for his heroic act last month.

Chancey said he was working an early morning shift at the Publix warehouse in Lakeland on June 2 when he heard a loud crash around 4:40 a.m.

He immediately rushed to the scene of the accident, and saw two severely damaged vehicles.

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As a bystander helped a victim get out of one of the cars, Chancey turned his attention to the second vehicle, which was on fire.

He grabbed a fire extinguisher from his truck and attempted to put out the fire, then noticed the unconscious driver was still inside the car.

Chancey and another bystander tried to use the fire extinguisher to break the driver's side rear window, but were unsuccessful.

"Thankfully, the victim gained enough consciousness to unbuckle himself and unlock the door," Lakeland Fire Rescue wrote. "With the fire growing, Glenn and the bystander ran to the passenger side rear door and safely pulled the victim from the burning vehicle."

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Lakeland Fire Chief Douglas Riley said Chancey's actions likely saved the man's life, but Chancey said he was just doing the right thing.

"I'd like to think anybody else in the same position would have done it," he told FOX 13. "I was just glad I could be there to help somebody."

After the incident, the man's wife found Chancey and embraced him, thanking him for saving her husband.

He said that was the recognition he will remember most of all.