Robert Cockburn's proud daughter yesterday told of her father's selfless efforts to pull Mr Schroeder, 21, from the green Holden Commodore despite the flames and the threat of explosion.

"He is pretty traumatised by it all, he was one of the first on the scene," Kylie Cockburn said.

"He drove up over the crest and saw the ball of flame. He dove out of the car, he phoned triple-0 and he went straight in there."

While calling the emergency number with one hand, Mr Cockburn attempted to open the driver's side door, while an unknown man with a fire extinguisher tried to quell the flames.

"As I understand it (Mr Schroeder) was really disoriented in the car and then he heard people shouting at him and telling him what to do. He just sort of did it," Ms Cockburn said.

Also on the scene were two brothers, who wanted to remain anonymous, the man with the fire extinguisher and Mr Cockburn, as well as Berkeley residents Kane Williams and Shannan Taylor.

They all urged Mr Schroeder in the front passenger seat to climb out the driver's side window to safety.

When Mr Schroeder reached the window, Mr Cockburn and Mr Williams pulled him out by his arms and dragged him 50m along the footpath, away from the flames.

"A policeman later said to him, 'When there is fire involved you don't have to get in there and risk your life'," Ms Cockburn said.

"But Dad just said, 'there was a man in there and I wasn't going to leave him to burn, any man would do it'.

"He just keeps saying, 'you don't leave a man to burn'."