Awesome foursome save motorists from explosion

Joe Nunufolau and Shane Robinson with their silver medals. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Shane Robinson was on his way home from his job as a mental health worker when he swerved to avoid a car coming at him on the wrong side of the road and became a hero in the fiery crash that followed.

The Waiuku man watched in shock in his rearview mirror as the car he avoided smashed head-on into the van that was driving behind him, in a collision that caused both vehicles to catch fire.

Four men rescued the four severely injured occupants of the van - a woman driving her 15-year-old daughter, her 5-year-old son and her daughter's friend, also 15 - just 30 seconds before a fireball engulfed both wrecks, causing a fire that spread 4m beyond both vehicles.

The driver of the oncoming car, who is believed to have been speeding, died in the accident on June 8, 2008.

Mr Robinson told the Herald he ran towards the cars as fire spread from both vehicles' motors.

"I saw it happen and then got out and then ran straight over to it. There was fire in both the motors. As soon as we got the guys out, it just exploded."

Mr Robinson forced the driver's door of the vehicle open.

He said he "pulled Mum out and the other blokes pulled the kids out".

Before the explosion, Joe Nunufolau, of Apia, forced a side door to get to the two teenagers in the back. He then returned to get the boy who was trapped in the front passenger's seat.

Karl Hogan, who lives in the United States, climbed into the van to help free one of the girls in the back seat. Her seatbelt was jammed and legs trapped.

Mangere man John Tavita also helped pull the girl from the wreck and assisted in getting the boy from the front.

Mr Tavita was at a tangi yesterday but was represented by his proud daughter Amy Tavita, who received the medal on his behalf.

Miss Tavita said she was proud of her father.

"I'm quite chuffed," she said.

Mr Robinson said it was "pretty cool" to be honoured with a medal for bravery: "It's a bit out of it."

Mr Robinson said he later learned his children were in the same class at school as the children of the woman he saved. They had met since the crash.

Mr Hogan was presented with his medal one month ago.

Each of the men received silver medals.

Donna Maree Kitchener, of Titirangi, who featured in the Herald last week for her efforts, was also presented with a silver medal for rescuing 10-year-old Moteiva Ngauamo from Green Bay on January 30, 2006.

Moteiva's father Kafoa-mo talau Ngauamo, 34, had died trying to rescue his son when Mrs Kitchener saved him.