Hero truckie had seconds to pull woman from burning car

A brave South Australian truckie who saved a woman from a burning car moments after a head-on crash has recounted how the “chaotic” rescue unfolded.

Michael Sleep had been in his truck when he saw Cleone Bryant trapped inside her car as flames engulfed the vehicle on the Princes Highway between Tantanoola and Millicent in the state’s south-east on Wednesday night.

“Running towards the car, I could see flames coming out of the engine bay, it was fully involved in the engine bay,” Sleep told 9News.

Cleone’s daughter-in-law, Kerri Byrant, said the 70-year-old couldn’t get out of her vehicle.

“She was at the point where she was wondering how she’s going to smash a window,” she said.

Sleep said the fire took hold very quickly.

“I think if I was even 30 seconds later it might have been a different story, might have been more difficult to reach her,” he said.

“It was pretty chaotic, I was trying to talk to the triple zero operator with my phone in one hand and trying to get the lady out of the vehicle with the other hand, while holding a torch as well.”

Once the 70-year-old was out safe, Sleep ran to help the female driver of the other car.

“No second thoughts, it was just instinct,” he said.

In the hours after the crash, Cleone’s family took to social media to track Sleep down in a post which said, “to the man who got my mum out of her burning car, you are literally a hero to us all”.

“He’s literally saved her life, we’re so grateful for him, he’s a real hero, just really brave,” Kerri said.

Cleone is recovering in hospital with broken ribs and a cracked sternum.

The family hopes to meet their hero one day soon. 

“I just said to my husband straight away like we need to find this man,” Kerri said.

“I’d love to meet them and just say hello, see how she’s doing,” Sleep said.