A heroic act was witnessed in Kossuth County, Iowa, when a local man, Alex Horak, saved two teenage brothers from a burning car following a train crash. Horak, who works in the rail industry, was driving home from work on July 14 when he saw a flash of dust and decided to investigate.

Quick Thinking Saves Lives

Upon arriving at the scene, Horak found the car mangled and crushed from the train accident, with the two brothers, ages 12 and 16, inside. Within seconds, the car burst into flames, just feet away from thousands of gallons of ethanol on the stopped train. Horak’s quick thinking and actions saved the boys’ lives, as he removed them from the vehicle before it was fully engulfed in flames.

Kossuth County Sheriff Roger Fisher praised Horak’s actions, stating that he had no doubt Horak saved the boys from severe burns or possibly even death. The scene remains vivid in Horak’s memory, marked by charred grass, shattered windows, and broken eyeglasses left behind.

Horak, however, does not consider himself a hero, saying he simply did what anyone else would have done in the situation. The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office will host a ceremony in the coming weeks to recognize Horak’s bravery, alongside two emergency communications operators.

Both victims are recovering at a hospital in Minnesota, having sustained head and upper-body injuries in the crash and requiring multiple surgeries before starting their long road to recovery.

Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.