BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — It's a New Year's act of bravery.
A retired firefighter risked his life to save a woman from a burning vehicle that crashed into a tree in front of his house.
It all happened on Dittermore Road in Bloomington early Wednesday morning.
Lee Chapman and his wife woke up just after 2 a.m. to a loud noise.
The former City of Bloomington firefighter jumped right out of bed, found a pair of slippers, grabbed a coat, flashlight and came out the door.
Chapman says one of the first things he noticed was fire coming out of the engine compartment.
“I did my job, I got her out. Adrenaline rush," he said.
Chapman says within a minute of rescuing the driver of the car, it was engulfed in flames.
“I’ve never seen a vehicle burn that bad in my whole career," Chapman said.
The driver of the vehicle ran off shortly after being rescued.
Chapman tells WRTV she said she was drinking and was concerned that this crash would ruin her life.
Monroe Fire Protection District's social media reports the woman was later found at a different address and taken to the hospital for evaluation of her injuries.
Chapman retired in 2019 after a 32-year-long career as a first responder.
Yet, he still felt it was his duty to save a life.
“I couldn’t do it. There’s no way. I’m not gonna stand around watching somebody burn up. That’s not gonna happen. It’s what I was trained to do. It’s part of me. It’s me," Chapman said.
Chapman also knows the pain of losing a loved one in a car crash.
“I lost a son who had just turned 22 back in 2012 to a car accident. He hit a tree," he said.
His son, Robbie, was also a firefighter.
Chapman says if tragedy comes knocking again, he’ll proudly answer the call.
“I get called a hero all the time. I’m not a hero. Basically, the way I look at it, God placed me there for a reason. I’m just his hands and feet getting the job done," he said.
