Hero workman pulls pensioner from smoking car in Highgate - moments before it explodes into flames

A hero workman saved a pensioner from her burning car moments before it exploded into flames.

Matthew Roberts, 31, who was driving home through Camden with two colleagues, jumped out of his van, ran to the moving car in front and shouted at the elderly driver to get out after he saw smoke and flames near the back wheels.

Fearing for her life, he opened her door, released her seatbelt and pulled her from the vehicle as it began to roll back down Highgate Hill. Seconds later, the pensioner’s Volvo hit a parked vehicle and exploded into flames.

Mr Roberts, who carries out maintenance work by abseiling down high rise buildings, said: “As soon as I saw the flames, I stopped the van and started running after the car in front.

“The lady wasn’t going very fast because the hill is steep. I began banging on the windows and telling her to get out, that the car was on fire, but she didn’t know what was going on. She carried on driving.

“I got to her door and pulled it open and was shouting that she had to get out. She stopped, but the car started rolling backwards down the hill.

“I opened her seatbelt, tried to stop the car from moving and pulled her from the car.”

Mr Roberts’s colleague and next-door neighbour, Dean Brown, 22, tried to stop the car running down the hill as the pensioner was dragged to safety. The third member of the team, Callum Murray-Smith, 22, filmed the drama on his mobile phone.

Mark Moody, a journalist, saw the car explode. He said it “leapt off the ground”. “There were sparks everywhere and it stank of burning rubber. It was pretty scary.”

The 72-year-old driver was not injured in the blaze. It is believed she was on her way to collect her granddaughter from a local primary school when the drama happened on Tuesday.

Mr Roberts, who has a five-year-old daughter and lives in Hertfordshire, added: “I am glad that the lady is safe.” His boss, Paul Dowling, of Zero Carbon, said he was “extremely proud” of Mr Roberts and his colleagues, adding: “I took them out for a beer on Wednesday. They will be recognised for services beyond the call of duty in our end-of-year awards.”

Bystander Annabel Morgan tweeted from the scene: “Just witnessed true act of heroism — man dragging elderly lady from burning car on Highgate Hill.”

Firefighters spent 45 minutes tackling the flames. Kentish town fire station crew manager William Larter said: “It could have been a lot worse.” The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical fault.