Seconds from death on video: Fearless NJ cop pulls driver from tanker inferno

🔥 A tanker was rear-ended by a sedan after pulling onto Route 22

🔥 The impact fused the tanker and sedan

🔥 A Bridgewater police officer on patrol pulled the car driver out

A Bridgewater police officer is being hailed a hero after dragging an unconscious driver out of a burning car that crunched into a tanker truck early Wednesday morning.

The truck pulling onto Route 22 west from a Speedway gas station near Thompson Avenue was rear-ended by a Hyundai Elantra around 2:10 a.m., according to Bridgewater police safety officer Joseph Greco. The tanker and car caught fire and became fused together.

The Hyundai was dragged approximately 685 feet before the driver of the tanker, Zachary J. Roslin, 33, of Freehold, brought them to a controlled stop.

Roslin told Bridgewater police officer Noah Allat, who stopped at the scene, the tanker was empty but had been carrying a load of kerosene.

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Pulled by the hood

The driver of the Hyundai, Peter J. Della-Ventura, 44, of North Plainfield, was entrapped while his passenger, Moosade Z. Harris, 26, of Plainfield got out on his own.  Della-Ventura and Harris were taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Body cam footage shows that after speaking to the tanker driver, Allat ran to the Hyundai, opened the door and dragged passenger Della-Ventura out by the hood of his sweatshirt.

"We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the incredible actions of Officer Allat. Officer Allat showed bravery, strength and composure throughout the duration of the call. Officer Allat's swift actions saved the life of the driver. A job well done," the department wrote on its Facebook page.

No charges have been filed in the case.

Bridgewater police asked witnesses to the crash to call 908-722-4111 ext. 4186.

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