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Terrifying moment children rescued from burning car on QLD highway

Dramatic body cam video shows the moment a security guard pulls children from a burning wreckage on a Queensland highway.

Wayne Heneker can be seen rushing to the aid of the five youths, after the car they’d been travelling in clipped the back of a truck and veered into a fence on the Pacific Highway, north of the Gold Coast.

Police allege the vehicle, which crashed about 1.20am on Tuesday, was stolen.

Video shared with Nine News shows him pulling a 14-year-old girl from the burning vehicle as she cries out for help.

“Please, help me,” she says repeatedly.

Mr Heneker rushed to the vehicle and was able to pull the 14-year-old girl from the car. Source: Nine News
Mr Heneker rushed to the vehicle and was able to pull the 14-year-old girl from the car. Source: Nine News

The alleged driver of the vehicle, a 12-year-old boy, is trapped in the crumpled front of the car.

As more people rush to the vehicle to help, Mr Heneker tries to calm the badly-injured girl.

“You’re alright, you’re safe, alright? We’ve got you,” he tells her as she cries in agony.

Three children in the backseat managed to free themselves.

Emergency services arrived shortly after, praising the actions of Mr Heneker and others who pulled over to help.

The driver was eventually freed from the car and was given CPR at the scene.

He and the girl remain in a serious condition in hospital.

The other three passengers – boys aged 13 and 14, and another 14-year-old girl – are in a stable condition with various chest, facial and back injuries.

The vehicle was allegedly driven by a 12-year-old boy, shocking authorities. Source: Nine News
The vehicle was allegedly driven by a 12-year-old boy, shocking authorities. Source: Nine News

Age of alleged driver 'extremely concerning', police say

Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said it was "very shocking" that a 12-year-old had been driving the car which had allegedly been stolen from Palm Beach on Monday.

"He posed a real risk to other road users. Any person of that age without a licence driving on our roads is extremely, extremely concerning," he told reporters on Tuesday.

Det Insp Ahearn said good Samaritans who stopped to help the children from the burning car had been met with "very confronting" scenes.

"But it is also heartening that motorists were able to pull over and stop," he said.

"This car had caught fire and that brings with it its own dangers. They were pretty instrumental in extricating them from that car."

Police say the children will be interviewed once in a fit condition in hospital and are appealing for anyone with dash cam of the crash to come forward.

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