Pictured: Steven Mitchell tragically died in December 2015 after becoming trapped in the cab of a fuel tanker
A lorry driver who turned into a human fireball after crashing his lorry when he was temporarily distracted screamed, ‘I am burning! Get me out.’
His chilling cries and final moments were revealed during an fatal accident inquiry at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Steven Mitchell, 48, died in a crash on the A835 near Ullapool, Wester Ross in Scotland in December 2015.
Passersby tried to save him from the burning cab as he screamed for help.
Fellow lorry driver John Bellshaw told the inquiry he scrambled over the tanker in a bid to save Mr Mitchell’s life.
He said: ‘I saw the driver through the window. He spoke to me – a few words. He said, “I am burning, get me out”.
‘I said, “I am trying”. I couldn’t see what was trapping him. He couldn’t get out and I couldn’t get in.
‘Within seconds of me trying to operate the extinguisher, the fire started to escalate.
‘It was getting to the stage there could have been an explosion.’
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood ruled the accident was likely caused by Mr Mitchell becoming temporarily distracted.
The inquiry heard two fire extinguishers on the tanker which Mr Mitchell, from Inverness, and witnesses tried to use did not work.
John Bellshaw who risked his own life to try and save tanker driver Steven Mitchell
However, the sheriff rejected claims from the victim’s family that Mr Mitchell’s employer, Highland Fuels, was at fault and said the extinguishers would not have saved him because of the ferocity of the fire.
He said: ‘The vehicle was mechanically sound. There was no evidence to suggest his driving fell below the standard expected of a normally competent driver.
‘The police report comes to the conclusion that the most plausible explanation, I am afraid, is an error on Mr Mitchell’s part, probably caused by his becoming distracted. Beyond that I am of the view that any conclusion would be speculation.’
I saw the driver through the window. He spoke to me – a few words. He said, “I am burning, get me out”
He added: ‘There was clear evidence the fire extinguishers kept on the vehicle were inoperative. The fire grew and spread quickly.
‘By the time the fire service attended, about ten minutes after the alarm was raised, the blaze was out of control and the evidence was anyone in the cab could not be alive.
‘Taking all these factors into account I am unable to come to the conclusion that Mr Mitchell was likely to have survived had rescuers had a working fire extinguisher.’
The sheriff ruled the fire started due to damage caused by the vehicle’s electrical wiring after it hit a rock face.
In his determination, Sheriff Fleetwood praised Mr Bellshaw and fellow witnesses Robin Forrest and Alan Douglas for their bravery.