By T.J. Pignataro
The Buffalo News
WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Five people are being credited with rescuing a baby and her mother from a Buick that overturned and burst into flames when it was struck by another vehicle at about 4:22 a.m. Tuesday at Leydecker Road and Southwestern Boulevard, West Seneca police said.
West Seneca police Capt. Patrick Shea said the driver of a Ford SUV pulled out from Leydecker onto Southwestern and struck the Buick, which was headed southwest on Southwestern at the time.
The impact sent the Buick across oncoming lanes of traffic, spinning it and sending it into a roll — two or three times — before it came to rest on its roof in a ditch — then burst into flames, police said.
Shea said three employees from nearby Luke’s Collision at 1500 Southwestern ran to the burning vehicle and, using a fire extinguisher, extinguished 12-foot flames shooting from the gas tank. Two passers-by, including a physician, used a tire iron to break the window of the Buick and pull the 6-month-old girl and her mother to safety.
The mother and baby were taken to Women & Children’s Hospital for evaluation. Neither suffered injuries, authorities said.
“This is one you must really chalk up to seat belts and car seats,” said Shea, who noted the baby was properly restrained in a child safety seat.
The names of the mother, baby and other driver, who was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way, were not immediately released by police late Tuesday.
Besides West Seneca police, volunteer firefighters from East Seneca and Reserve companies responded to the crash scene.
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