CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Newly released body camera video shows Canton Township police officers rushing to help after a fiery crash that resulted in 10 people being injured on Wednesday.
The edited body camera footage, not shown in full due to graphic content, captures officers pulling people from the wreck and using a fire extinguisher to put out flames on burning victims.
Police said a wrong-way driver hit a turning semi-truck at the intersection of Ford and Haggerty roads, sparking a fire, a hazardous materials spill, and even melting parts of a traffic light.
“One of my first thoughts was getting people as far away from the fire as possible,” Officer Cheadle said. “If it spread to the gas station, they would be safe.”
The body camera footage shows the officers’ immediate reaction as they helped the victims.
They pull people from the area, use a fire extinguisher to put out a victim’s flames, and show smoke billowing into the air.
“It’s something else because you don’t really understand the whole scale of it,” Officer Malushi said. “You’re focused on a tiny part, trying to help a specific person.”
Cheadle said the moment he arrived, he just reacted and did what needed to be done.
Malushi, who has six years as an officer, called it the most hectic scene he’s encountered.
“Adrenaline takes over, and training takes over as well. My mind is just getting these people to a safe location so we can render aid and our firefighters can be away from the fire, smoke, and potential explosion,” Malushi said.
When asked about helping save lives, Malushi said simply, “I was there to do a job. I’m happy I did my job and that those involved are able to walk another day.”
According to police, the crash occurred after a wrong-way driver hit a box truck, then the fuel tank of a semi-truck.
Six officers and the semi-truck driver were treated and released for minor injuries.
Three people in the car that caused the crash were hospitalized with serious injuries.
The interim police Chief, Joseph Bialy, praised his officers’ actions.
He also said the crash is under investigation.
And when asked if the driver who caused the crash was doing anything wrong, he couldn’t answer that question, but did say they “ were driving at a high rate of speed.”