Talking to heroes from YVR crash

RICHMOND (NEWS1130) – Imagine running into a burning plane. Friends of one of the people who jumped into action say it’s simply in his character.

Steve Baran’s a 63 year-old father of two who works for Canada Post near YVR.  He was one of the first to reach the plane, wrench open the door, and pull people to safety after yesterday’s plane crash.

He described the intense rescue live on News1130.

Jane works with Steve and says she is not surprised. “He would be the first one to stop and help somebody. He’s a very helpful individual. He’s amazing, because not many people would do what he did.”

Steve says this isn’t even the first time he’s been called on to play the hero. “It’s weird but it’s not the only one. I had an incident where an 18-wheeler made a turn, but didn’t know he hit a car and the car went into a ditch. I stopped and pulled her out of the ditch and phoned the police.”

And after all the excitement at YVR, the Maple Ridge man took some time to get a cup of coffee, and then simply went back to work.

Neil Sharma also saw the smoke and ran over to help the crash victims.

He was driving close to where the plane went down and when he saw what was happening, he called his friend who works in the area. “Pull over right there! I’m going to help, there’s been a plane crash here.”

He drove over to the scene of the crash and when he got there there were two ladies and three men laying on the ground near the wreckage. More people were still in the plane.

He knew it was dangerous, but he helped pull them out anyway. “When I saw the scene I just thought these guys were in danger. We have to go and help them, in any way I can I will.”

Mayor Brodie praises rescuers

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says yesterday was difficult one for everyone who responded to the crash.

He admits, despite hundreds of flights in and out of YVR every week, accidents like this take everyone by surprise. “At the intial moments, it’s so chaotic because you’re trying to find out how many people are involved, how many aircraft [are involved]… what’s the involvement with people and vehicles on the ground?”

However Brodie says the work by firefighters, police, paramedics and passersby who worked to rescue people in the plane and help the injured was amazing. “If you had to have an horrific accident like this, it was competently handled from everything I can gather and everybody did a very stellar job.”

He describes what they did as selfless. “This was to be a routine flight and it ended up in such a tragic manner.”

On behalf of everyone in Richmond, Brodie says “our hearts go out to the victims.”

What does it take to be a hero?

What is it that compels people to drop everything and put their own lives at risk to try and save others? Psychologist Derek Swain tells us when lives are in danger, our primal instincts tend to take over.

“It seems to be an automatic response; people just act without thinking about it. It’s something very primal, probably related to the whole notion of preserving the species,” he explains.

Swain says amazing things can happen when the adrenaline kicks in.