A Philadelphia schoolgirl walked away with only minor scratches after a Mack truck ran over her and trapped her underneath the vehicle on Friday afternoon, according to multiple witnesses who rushed to her aid and likely saved her life.

Caught On Camera

Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment when the young student, wearing a backpack and looking down at her phone, crossed the street in front of a stopped Mack truck. Seconds later, the truck lurched forward, pushing the distracted girl before she fell to the pavement and disappeared beneath the massive vehicle. The incident occurred around school dismissal time near Ivonne Jewelry in Philadelphia.

Bladimir, an employee at the jewelry store, spotted the danger immediately and sprang into action. He waved his arms frantically and ran toward the truck to signal the driver to stop. After the vehicle halted, he rushed to check on the trapped girl. She told him she felt fine and that only her hair had been caught under the truck.

Driver Unaware Of Impact

The truck driver apparently had no idea he had struck the pedestrian. When Bladimir reached the cab, he urgently warned the operator not to move. The driver appeared shocked to learn a girl was trapped beneath his vehicle. Bladimir believes the driver never saw the student before the truck started moving forward.

Ivonne Roson, owner of Ivonne Jewelry, witnessed the entire sequence of events. Her employees happened to be outside at that exact moment, which was unusual for them during the day. Roson described watching the girl cross the street while focused on her phone, completely unaware of the truck beginning to move. The witnesses stayed with the girl after she was freed, checking on her repeatedly before walking her home.

Investigation Continues

Philadelphia police responded to emergency calls about the incident, but all parties had already left the scene before officers arrived. Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. Witnesses noted the girl was not using a designated crosswalk at the corner, instead crossing mid-block. Despite the traumatic experience of being run over by a commercial truck, the student never released her grip on her phone throughout the ordeal, according to people who helped her. The combination of quick-thinking bystanders and what witnesses called extraordinary luck prevented what could have been a fatal accident in broad daylight on a busy Philadelphia street.