Dramatic footage has captured the moment a minibus taxi caught fire at a petrol station in Johannesburg, South Africa. The fire in the Bramley suburb of the city forced the thirteen passengers on board to flee.
The van was on the forecourt of a petrol station when flames appeared beneath the front wheels, according to video which has since circulated online.
One passenger fought to open the door, while another attempted to exit by breaking a rear window.
As others jumped out of windows to escape, a petrol station attendant named Abdullah James tried to open the passenger’s window.
The passenger finally escaped through the window, just as the front of the vehicle exploded and black smoke started to pour out.
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The remaining passengers were rescued from the back of the van, and James used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
Other employees also came over to offer assistance.
James told MailOnline: “When I saw the fire coming underneath that taxi, I immediately ran to it to help those inside so they could survive.
“I was not even thinking about myself, there was at least 13 people in there and I knew I could not leave them stranded in the fire.”
He spoke to the South African outlet News24 and shared that he struggled to open the door initially, but persisted until he managed to open it.
James said: “I struggled to open the door on the first try but didn’t give up.
“I then managed to open the door and quickly ran to get the fire extinguisher to help stop the fire,
“When they saw me put the fire out, my colleagues came with another extinguisher to help.”
He expressed gratitude that no one had caught fire, stating that it would have been a terrible experience, saying: “I was just happy to see that no one had caught on fire.
“It would’ve been terrible to experience that.”
While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, he and his colleagues offered first aid assistance to the wounded.