The driver of this car, above, was flown to a hospital Friday with injuries after a collision with a tractor-trailer, below, on Sarver Road in Buffalo Township.

BUFFALO TWP — The male driver of a car that caught on fire in an accident with a tractor-trailer Friday afternoon on Sarver Road in the township was flown from the scene to a hospital. The accident occurred about 1:16 p.m. at the intersection of Hepler Road. The road remained closed to traffic until about 5:20 p.m. while police investigated the accident.

A group of people — residents living along the street and motorists — assisted by using fire extinguishers to put out the fire and checking on the driver, said residents Norm Kemp and his son, Chris Kemp.

Chris Kemp said he was in the garage of his father's home near the intersection when he heard a loud crash and saw the damaged truck travel through the yard, and went to help the man in the car.

“The people that were here, it was tremendous trying to help him out,” he said.

He said at least eight to 10 people, including neighbors and motorists on the road at the time of the accident, put out the fire and cut the car's side curtain air bag to check on the driver, who was breathing, but slumped over on to the passenger seat. The driver appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s, he said.

“I heard a big thump,” Norm Kemp said.

He looked outside and saw the damaged truck pass by and stop a short distance away.

A medical helicopter landed in the St. Paul's Lutheran Church parking lot near the scene and transported the driver, he said.

The people who assisted the driver had the fire mostly extinguished by the time firefighters arrived, and the firefighters finished putting out the fire, he said.

The truck was pulling an Aldi trailer.

Township police responded along with the township, Sarver and Saxonburg volunteer fire departments and Freeport and Saxonburg ambulances.