According to the article it wasn't just random bystanders, it was a police officer.
"But Awan survived the crash, and he could have escaped the smoke and fire, too, Grossman said — if only the police officer who arrived on the scene could have opened the car’s doors."
Hey, one of my Scouts did this - rescued a family from a burning car. Because he had the wit to do it, while others stood on the sidelines. Probably because he'd been actually trained in taking quick action, in leading by example. He was 16.
So I can see that folks may be paralyzed by indecision, even by the intensity of their feelings. Ok, 'normal' people want to help but probably don't because of a lifetime of holding back.
I might, but I'd perhaps be more likely to risk my life saving someone from a Citroën 2CV or a VW Beetle. I'm only half joking. There is a real tendency to judge other people by what kind of car they're in and the decision whether to approach a burning car is likely to be made quickly rather than through careful application of logic.
If you regularly drive more than one kind of car you might notice that other road users treat you quite differently depending on which one you're driving.
"But Awan survived the crash, and he could have escaped the smoke and fire, too, Grossman said — if only the police officer who arrived on the scene could have opened the car’s doors."