While on duty at the Crescent Beach Bridge near St. Augustine, Florida, Velociti team member Chuck Swearengin noticed a vehicle on fire near the gate. Responding immediately, he called 911 to report the fire. The 911 operator asked that the bridge remain open as the fire department was responding to the call.
Chuck took the extinguisher from the bridge house and proceeded down to the fire scene to see if he could help. The burning vehicle was a restored 1968 Volkswagen beetle, and the fire was in the engine compartment. Chuck expended the extinguisher but was not able to completely put the fire out. However, his efforts slowed the progress until the local fire department arrived and continued to fight the fire. Once extinguished, the car was pushed outside of the gate and then off of the bridge completely.
Chuck was able to slow the progression of the fire, saving the car from being completely destroyed. On top of that, he also saved the bridge from significant damage. The engines in these cars are made of magnesium, which can ignite when temperatures approach 1200 degrees. Had the engine ignited, the molten metal would have poured out onto the bridge, causing significant damage and making the fire very difficult to extinguish without extensive efforts and additional resources.
At Velociti, we couldn’t be prouder of Chuck. His heroic actions are a testament to his commitment and caring, and are yet another example of Velociti team members going above and beyond.
