VIDEO: Minneapolis Police, Passersby Pull Motorists From Burning Car

A speeding car veered off the road and plunged off an overpass onto Interstate 94. By the time two Minneapolis police officers got to the scene late Wednesday, they found the dark-colored Cadillac ATS smoldering and its two occupants trapped inside, according to police and witnesses. Minutes later, flames began shooting out from the hood, reports the Star Tribune.

After pulling the female passenger — identified as Lancha Robertson, 37, of Minneapolis — to safety, they struggled to free the unconscious driver, in a dramatic rescue attempt that was captured by a bystander on cellphone video.

Andy Schuur, who works at a local towing company, stopped to record the ordeal and later posted the footage to his Facebook page. By Monday morning, it had been viewed over 29,000 times and shared hundreds of times more.

The grainy 8-minute, 34-second video shows the officers, later joined by another officer and at least two passersby, yanking the driver, Floyd Cunningham, out of the car. By then the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

The officers tried to resuscitate Cunningham, 31, of Minneapolis, but he later died at a hospital. Robertson’s condition wasn’t available on Monday.

Authorities said speed, but not alcohol, appears to be a factor in the crash, which is being investigated by the State Patrol.