Woman's quick actions saves man from being hit by oncoming train

A Florida woman's fast-thinking helped save a man from being hit and possibly killed by an oncoming train after he lost consciousness while he was driving.

"It almost felt like it wasn't real. He was unconscious with his car on the train tracks and a train was coming. It was like something out of a movie," Claire Lawry told WEAR-TV.

What happened?

The man's car blew past Lawry while she was sitting at an intersection in Pensacola.

"As he went past me, I noticed he was clutching his chest and leaning back in his seat. It became apparent to me that he was maybe having some cardiac trouble, and he lost control of the vehicle and ran up on the train tracks," Lawry said.

There was a train coming down the tracks, and that's when she jumped into action and called 911.

Others nearby heard Lawry screaming and jumped in to help.

One person went running up the track, alerting the engineer to stop the train.

Thankfully, it wasn't running at full speed.

"Fortunately, they were in the city where the speed limit is slower for trains. If this had happened on Scenic Highway, it could have been different," said Officer Mike Wood.

If Lawry hadn't been alert, things could have turned out much differently, according to police.

"She took matters into her own hands, and did exactly what she had to do," Wood said.

What does Lawry have to say about her actions?

She attributed much of it to timing.

"I was just in the right place at the right time. No one else was around, and if I didn't stop, I didn't know what was going to happen to him," Lawry said.

How is the man doing?

The man's name and condition aren't known, but authorities said he was alert and conscious when first responders transported him to the hospital.