Good Samaritans extinguish flames, saving man's life

A man was critically injured after catching fire in a Brooklyn parking lot on Monday morning. The incident happened around 11 a.m. at the corner of Flushing Ave. and Varick Ave. in East Williamsburg. Quick action by nearby good Samaritans, including a barber, helped save the man's life. The barber was cutting hair when he noticed the victim engulfed in flames. He described the flames as a "12-foot wall of fire" near a stack of burning pallets. The barber, identified only as Matthew, ran across the street with a fire extinguisher. He saw another bystander using a jacket to beat out the flames on the victim’s legs. Matthew used his extinguisher to put out the flames on the man's lower body. Paramedics arrived shortly after and provided further medical assistance. The 41-year-old man was taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center with critical but stable injuries. Matthew emphasized the importance of helping others in danger, saying, “You see somebody on fire, you put it out.” The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Fire Marshal.