By LOIS CLERMONT

News Editor

and LUCAS BLAISE

Contributing Writer

CHATEAUGAY — Annie Raville says her brother-in-law owes his life to a co-worker.

Raynaldo Cruz, 52, of Chateaugay is in critical condition in Clark Burn Unit of Syracuse University.

But Raville says he would be dead if it weren’t for Rick Favreau.

Cruz was driving a Mack truck on Interstate 87 in Plattsburgh Monday afternoon, coming from a site where the company he works for, Dick Glode Construction, has a job.

Favreau, who lives in West Chazy and works for the same company, was following in another vehicle.

The tire on Cruz’s truck blew, sending the dump truck careening into the woods, where it burst on fire.

Raville said Cruz was semi-conscious and trying to get free of the wreckage.

“He probably would have burned alive,” she said, if it hadn’t been for Favreau, who dragged Cruz out.

Favreau himself was injured in the rescue attempt, although not as seriously as Cruz, who was still in critical condition Wednesday with “quite extensive burns,” Raville said.

Her sister, Lisa Cruz, and mother, Anne Purdy of Malone, are at the hospital in Syracuse. The Cruzes have two teenage girls, Aurela and Danielle.