Relatives Pull Berry Man From Fiery Wreck
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday July 1, 2008
MICHAEL Robinson has vowed to stick with horses after he was rescued from a burning vehicle just minutes before it exploded.
But the Berry man, a member of one of the Illawarra's most well-known horse training families, is thankful for his large clan of 12 brothers and sisters, especially as two relatives helped save his life.The 48-year-old was driving his 2000 Holden Vectra along Coolangatta Rd, Coolangatta, on Sunday when the accident occurred."I swerved to miss a dog and sort of lost control and collected the tree," the father of five said. First on the scene was a Figtree man who found the car on its side and got a door open as the engine ignited.Arriving seconds later were Coolangatta's Brad and Fiona Heagney, who are related by marriage to Michael's eldest brother, Terry. "I looked in the car and I couldn't believe it was Michael," Mrs Heagney said.She held the door open as the Figtree man, 51, ran for help; in the interim the flames intensified and Mr Heagney dived inside and dragged Mr Robinson free."I wasn't thinking much of anything at the time, just trying to get him out," Mr Heagney said. "We were concerned about the fire but luckily we got him out quite quickly."Mrs Heagney, who recently completed a first aid course, tended to Mr Robinson as more family members came along and stopped to assist. Terry, based at the family's Regal Lodge horse stud at Coolangatta, made sure Michael was stabilised before driving him to Shoalhaven Hospital.Mr Heagney said Mr Robinson was lucky not to have died. "Within the next few minutes of getting Michael out, the car basically went up. If he'd been trapped he would have been burned alive," he said.Mr Robinson, who works as a stable hand at Kembla Grange, underwent surgery on a broken thumb before being released. "I am very thankful to everyone who stopped and helped, for sure and certain," he said."I am a very lucky man."
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury
