Police hailed as heroes for pulling man from blazing supercar

THREE people trapped in an upside down $200,000 supercar screamed for help as they burnt to death when the car erupted in flames in the Sydney CBD.

The wreck of the Nissan GTR in which three people were burned to death in central Sydney is towed away for police examination. Three killed in fiery Sydney car crash

THREE people trapped in an upside down $200,000 supercar screamed for help as they burnt to death when the car erupted in flames after the driver lost control and crashed on a Sydney CBD street.

A fourth person was dragged unconscious from the passenger seat of the Nissan GT-R R35 by police officers and is in intensive care.

Four officers arrived at the wrecked car minutes after witnesses heard it crash, apparently hitting a railing and flipping on its roof about 3am on Saturday at the intersection of Harbour and Pier streets.

The horrific scene in Pier Street last night. Picture: Steve Tyson

Police tend to a victim. Picture: Michael Coleman

Crash scene minutes after impact. Picture: Michael Coleman

The officers, including two probationary constables, managed to pull father-of-four Joseph Bagala, 39, out of the car, before it was engulfed in flames.

But they could not save two men and a woman, who were burnt to death inside the two door car beside the Novotel Rockford hotel.

Car crash survivor Joseph Bagala.

Shaken witnesses told of hearing screams coming from the smashed car — a ­supercar with a top speed of 311km/h which can reach 100km/h in just 2.7 seconds — as police and bystanders tried to save those inside.

Novotel Rockford guest Sonia Ripepi was woken by a huge bang and saw the car flipped over on the street outside her window.

“Then a taxi driver pulled over and he jumped out trying to get the passengers out,” she said. “He was screaming ‘get out, get out’. The taxi driver was really distressed, he couldn’t get any closer to the car. There were lots of screams still coming out of the car.”

Ms Ripepi said it was only a matter of minutes before the car was completely engulfed. Witnesses told police they spotted the car speeding down Goulburn St moments before the crash.

Police and fire brigades officers at the scene in Pier Street early today. Picture: Steve Tyson

A police officer pulled a seriously injured man from the car. Picture: Steve Tyson

The car appeared to have hit a guard rail near the Novotel Hotel before catching fire. Picture: Steve Tyson

The road is sealed off as investigations begin into the crash. Picture: Steve Tyson

Police at the crash scene early today.

Sydney City Local Area Command Superintendent Paul Pisanos said the police officers put their own welfare on the line to try to extinguish a volatile fire and save lives.

Police on Saturday were still trying to identify the three people who died.

Peter Sergeant was also staying at the Novotel when he was woken and told to evacuate because of smoke from the blazing wreck

The burnt-out car is taken from the scene of a fatal car crash on Harbour Street, Darling Harbour.

“We saw a group of people dragging someone along the footpath so I assumed it was someone injured. He wasn’t conscious, I wasn’t even sure he was alive,” he said.

Mr Bagala suffered horrific injuries, including broken ribs and bleeding on the brain. He remained in intensive care at St Vincent’s Hospital on Saturday afternoon but was conscious.

Remarkably it is the second time he has survived a serious car accident — in his late teens he was placed into a coma following a bad crash.

However his brother died in a separate serious car crash, a friend said.

Mr Bagala is listed as the director of a construction company and a Western Sydney turf business.

Guests at the nearby Novotel hotel were evacuated.

Novotel hotel guests huddle in the cold after being evacuated.