OKLAHOMA CITY -
Nurses and staff
members at St. Ann Nursing Home put their lives on the line to help save others
after an early morning helicopter crash in northwest Oklahoma City Friday.
News 9 has learned new information from an employee at the nursing home who says
heroes were working to save fellow heroes Friday. Shortly before 6 a.m., the
medical helicopter crashed. Immediately following, eight selfless staff members
from St. Ann's rush outside to help.
"They took fire
extinguishers with them to see what they could do," nursing home employee
Beverly Ward said.
2/22/2013 Related Story: OKC Medical Helicopter Crash The Second In Two Months
Ward was arriving
to work at St. Ann's shortly after the crash when she leaned of the heroic
tale. At least one of her colleagues received burns trying to save the three
Eagle Med employees in the crash. The nursing home workers found one man still
alive, but on fire.
"He was
communicating with them," Ward said. "[He was] telling them what to do to help
put him out…get the fire put out."
Ward says the lady who was
helping put the fire out on Billy Wynne is a wonderful woman who would give you
the shirt off her back. Ward says the crash happened
during a shift change when people were coming and going from the parking lot,
feet away from the crash.
2/22/2013 related Story: Names Released Of EagleMed Helicopter Crew Members Killed, Injured In Crash In OKC
"There was a
second explosion," Ward said. "I don't know how anyone else wasn't hurt when
the second explosion went off."
Ward says she is very proud to
work with such great people who would risk their lives to save someone. The hardest part, Ward says, is the pain knowing there are
families dealing with the shock of sudden death.
Nurse Chris Denning, who also
worked for the Oklahoma Heart Hospital, died at the scene. Pilot Mark
Montgomery, who is being praised for avoiding people on the ground, also died.
On Friday night,
family members of the sole survivor, paramedic Billy Wynne, said via social
media that their loved one was being treated at a Dallas hospital. Originally,
Wynne was transported to OU Medical Center, according to medical officials.
2/22/2013 Related Story: Two Killed, One Critically Injured After Medical Helicopter Crashes
Shortly before 6 a.m., the medical helicopter crashed. Immediately following, eight selfless staff members from St. Ann's rush outside to help.
