Two players from Gwangju FC helped rescue a driver from a burning car early Sunday after the team spotted the accident while returning from an away match.
Dashcam footage provided to The Korea Herald by a passing driver shows Shin Chang-moo and Icelandic striker Holmbert Fridjonsson getting off the K League 1 club’s team bus and rushing to the burning vehicle to help the driver out.
According to the club, the incident occurred in Gwangju at about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 9, while the players were traveling on the team bus after Gwangju played Bucheon FC 1995 at Bucheon Stadium.
"We didn't witness the accident, but we saw a car on fire and knew someone needed help," Shin said in a video clip on the Gwangju squad's Instagram. "I was the closest person to the accident, so I did what I had to do."
Fridjonsson recalled thinking what might have happened if the car burned worse or exploded, but said they managed to get the driver out safely.
"Somebody had to come and help. Shin was there first, and I followed. We managed to get him out," he said.
The team's bus driver brought a fire extinguisher and helped out, while the team's medical staff provided first aid until an ambulance arrived.
The driver who recorded the footage, Bae Young-jin, told The Korea Herald that he was on his way to work when he saw the burning vehicle on the side of the road.
“I saw the driver still inside the car and was thinking about whether I should go help, but the players were there first to rescue the driver,” Bae said.
Bae said he recognized the players from the team bus, which displayed the club’s name, and decided to share the footage to let the public know about their actions.
The footage was first shared on Han Moon-chul TV, a YouTube channel hosted by veteran traffic lawyer Han Moon-chul, who analyzes traffic accidents using dashcam footage.
The Korea Professional Football Federation is reportedly reviewing the incident and considering recognizing the players for their actions.
mjcha@heraldcorp.com