Arslanbek Aliyev assisted in the rescue of six people from a burning car in Moscow

Arslanbek Aliyev was in the right place at the right time to help the unfortunate victims of a high-speed car crash in Moscow early Friday morning.

CCTV footage of the accident shows the dark-colored Mercedes clip the rear of a yellow taxi as it passed through an intersection, diverting the car off its course and sending it careening towards the wall of building in the Russian capital.

The car crashed into the building on Zubovsky Boulevard at significant speed and almost immediately burst into flames.

Aliyev, 38, who is a former winner of the Russian freestyle wrestling championships among several other awards, and who is currently the head coach of the Dagestan youth wrestling team, happened to be in the area to visit friends, and quickly ran to the scene after witnessing the crash to offer help to the car’s occupants.

“We ran out at the sound of fire, immediately the car began to burn,” Aliyev later explained.

He added the police attempted to restrain them offering assistance but with the assistance of other bystanders, he managed to break the car’s windows and help people out of the wreck.

However, he also stated that the driver and front passenger unfortunately could not appeared to be saved.

“The police forbade us to approach,” he explained. “We broke the windows, doors with Arab guys. They were the first to start it all. And they pulled all the guys out. The front ones, who were squeezed, could not (pull out), there was a very strong fire.”

The Moscow prosecutor’s office later confirmed that two people died in the accident and six were treated in hospital. 

Aliyev’s heroics were noted in the State Duma, with at least one member calling for the Dagestani wrestling veteran to be officially honored for his act of bravery.