Woman is rescued from her burning car by police officer and Good Samaritan after lightning strike locked her in the vehicle

• Anna Smith's SUV stalled on May 7 and she had to pull over
• Moments later, her vehicle was hit by a lightening bolt and the engine burst into flames
• The bolt also trapped her in the vehicle, powering down the SUV and melting the locks
• Smith was rescued by a police officer who broke the glass and a passerby who helped pull her out of the vehicle

By Ashley Collman

Published: 13:30 EST, 18 May 2014 | Updated: 02:32 EST, 19 May 2014

Dash cam video shows the shocking moment a woman was rescued from her SUV after it caught fire from a lightening strike.

Anna Smith was driving near Lake Crystal, Minnesota the night of May 7 when her car stalled out and she had to pull her Chevy Trailblazer the side of the road.

Moments later, a lightening bolt struck her car and caused the engine to erupt into flames. 

To the rescue: Dash-cam footage shows the moment a woman in southern Minnesota was rescued from her burning vehicle after getting trapped thanks to a lightening strike. Officer Chris Burdan seen running to the vehicle above

Good Samaritan: Passerby Michael Smith, 18, is soon seen running across the road to help the police officer extricate Anna Smith (no relation) from her vehicle

Injured: Officer Burdan breaks the glass of the passenger window and the two pull Anna Smith out of the vehicle. Both Burdan and Ms Smith sustained minor cuts from the broken glass

Safe and sound: Michael Smith (left), Anna Smith (center), and Officer BUrdan (right) are seen fleeing the burning vehicle back to the safety of the squad car

  

Woman rescued from a burning car

'I heard a boom and I saw a flash of light. I thought I had a flat tire,' Smith told the Mankato Free Press.

Smith then became trapped in the car since the strike melted the locks and powered down the electricity.

Lucky for Smith, Lake Crystal Police Officer Chris Burban was just arriving on the scene, and rushed to the passenger side of the vehicle where he broke glass to let her escape.

Hero: Michael Smith, 18, helped rescue Anna Smith (no relation) from the burning vehicle. He is currently studying law enforcement at Minnesota State University

'My whole thought was "Gotta get her out, no one's going to burn to death if I can do anything about it,"' Officer Burban told KAAL.

Car and after car passed the dangerous scene without stopping but 18-year-old Michel Smith of Le Sueur pulled over and aided in the woman's rescue.

Both Michael, a law enforcement student at Minnesota State University, and Officer Burban worked to help Smith escape from the passenger window and then usher her back to the squad car and safety.

Smith and Officer Burban both suffered minor cuts due to the glass, but are recovering fine.

Michael left soon after that without introducing himself, and his identity was a mystery for several days.

Michael was in the process of moving houses when he saw the accident and decided to pull over.

'I did not think what I did was a big deal so I just left,' said Michael

The teen has a year left on his law enforcement degree and is currently working at a farm exchange to pay for the rest of his education.

'I was really appreciative of his help,' said Burban 'A few cars drove by the fire, but Michael stopped and helped.'

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