RCMP smash sunroof, pull unconscious man from burning vehicle after rollover crash in Campbell River

A Campbell River RCMP vehicle is shown in this undated photo. (Campbell River RCMP)

An unconscious man was pulled from a burning vehicle after a rollover crash in Campbell River Thursday evening, according to Mounties.

Campbell River RCMP said officers were conducting patrols in the south end of the city at approximately 9:30 p.m., when they found a white sport utility vehicle rolled over and on fire near Willow Creek Road and Jubilee Parkway.

When Mounties approached the vehicle, they discovered someone was still inside.

“Officers smashed open the sunroof and extracted an unconscious man from inside the vehicle,” RCMP said in a news release Monday. “Seconds after the man was removed from the vehicle, the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.”

B.C. Emergency Health Services and the local fire department arrived on scene shortly after.

The man — a Campbell River resident in his 40s — was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

“This incident is a shocking reminder of the dangerous situations police officers can find themselves in every day,” said Insp. Jeff Preston in a statement. “The officers during this incident showed amazing calm and bravery under immense personal danger.”

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Campbell River RCMP are asking anyone with information to call them at 250-286-6221.