German police said four students walking home from their school graduation ceremony in the early hours Friday helped rescue two police officers from a burning patrol car in Bochum.
ADVERTISEMENTGerman police say two officers were rescued from their burning patrol car by some passing students.
The four teenagers were walking home from their school graduation ceremony in Bochum in the early hours of Friday when they saw the vehicle on fire.
The students and a passing motorist pulled the injured officers from the wreck, Bochum police said.
The two officers suffered serious injuries including fractures, but are not in a life-threatening condition, a statement on Facebook added.
The officers, aged 24 and 30, were on their way to a reported burglary when their vehicle crashed into a tree and burst into flames.
A police spokesperson said it was unclear whether the police officers -- from Wattenscheid station -- would have been able to free themselves.
Local fire brigade services were later able to extinguish the burning car.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the courageous first responders who prevented even worse things from happening," police said on Facebook.