Ozaukee County Fair demolition derby fire, driver seriously burned

CEDARBURG, Wis. - An Ozaukee County Fair demolition derby driver was hospitalized with severe burns after his car caught fire Friday night, Aug. 4. 

"Everybody could have ran away or ran for help. He would have died," said Collin Wilcox.

The derby could've turned deadly. Wilcox said his friend, Grant, was the driver of the red car that filled with flames.

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"Who knows how long it would have taken if somebody would have left him in there," Wilcox said. "Get him out as quick as we could. Get him out of the vehicle." 

"He got lucky," said Cedarburg Police Sgt. Eric Weisenberger. "Fire can get out of control really fast, and just, the quick reaction of his friends and all the organizations helping in the event, I think, truly saved his life." 

Police said the 22-year-old man had to be taken to a hospital for first- to third-degree burns all over his body. His friends never left his side.

"He’s in the best spirits he can be for what happened," said Wilcox. "We had him laughing, so that’s all matters."

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Wilcox said his friend made it as a demolition derby finalist. Things took a turn after Friday's race. The car was no longer participating and in the pit, police said, when the fire began.

"It was noted by spectators that one of the cars was leaking fuel during just, the crashing," Weisenberger said.

"We are trying to figure out why it won’t start, and that’s when everything just exploded," said Wilcox.

Aftermath of Ozaukee County Fair demolition derby car fire on Aug. 4

The group of friends said only one thing matters.

"We just helped a brother out like he would do for us," said Wilcox.

Cedarburg police said they had extra fire and EMS crews on standby for Saturday night's derby. 

Grant's family has set up a GoFundMe.com account to help pay his medical bills.