London Fire Brigade have confirmed that they were able to save the life of a man in a burning car due to their rapid response to a helicopter in Vauxhall on 16 January.

A helicopter came into contact with a crane on top of The Tower, One St. George Wharf just before 8 a.m. before plunging to the ground, affecting cars and leaving burning remnants of the helicopter strewn across the road.

Two people, including the pilot, passed away in the incident, six were taken to hospital and seven were treated at the scene. The emergency services were praised for their speedy response, which helped prevent further occurrences. Reports suggest that fire engines were on the scene within four minutes of the incident, responding to a ‘999’ call from a member of the public.

The London Fire Brigade confirmed on Twitter that they had been able to save the life of a man in his car near Wandsworth Road amidst the burning debris as a result of their prompt arrival on the scene.

“We rescued a man from a burning car at the scene of the helicopter crash. Two people have been taken to hospital by @Ldn_Ambulance,’ a tweet from the Fire Brigade’s @LondonFire account reads.

A total of 88 firefighters and officers attended the scene and were able to bring the blaze under control in 25 minutes.

Prime Minister David Cameron has already praised the emergency services for their ‘rapid and professional response.’

How else is the UK benefitting from more efficient and speedy emergency services?