Polish Politician Rescues Child and Father From Burning Car

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A left-wing party leader in Poland has rescued a 2-year-old boy and his father from a burning car, winning praise across the political spectrum days before a national election.

The car collided with a truck and began to burn Monday evening in Tabor, south of Warsaw. Robert Biedron witnessed the crash and helped the father and child until rescue officials arrived, fire officials reported.

Local firefighters posted a photo on Facebook of themselves with Biedron, praising him and saying that "like a real fireman he went to the burning car with a fire extinguisher."

It's not clear whether Biedron's heroics will help lift the fortunes of a left-wing alliance that his Spring party belongs to in parliamentary election on Sunday. The alliance is polling in third place, far behind the ruling nationalist conservative Law and Justice party, which has support of over 40%, and the centrist Civic Coalition, in second place.

Biedron made history when he became the first openly gay politician to win a seat in the national parliament in 2011. For a time, the youthful and charismatic Biedron was seen as a rising political star who might revive the political left in Poland, which has grown increasingly weaker in past years amid a surge of right-wing populism.

However, Biedron's popularity has faltered following some missteps, including going back on some promises.

Even conservative commentators on social media and the right-wing media were giving favorable coverage Tuesday to Biedron's rescue.

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By VANESSA GERA Associated Press

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