Tucson Firefighters Rescue Two People Who Drove Into A Flooded Wash

Published: Monday, August 18, 2014 - 3:13pm

Tucson firefighters rescued two occupants of a vehicle this weekend after they drove into a flooded wash in the dark and were washed downstream by the force of the current. Fire Captain Barrett Baker said the vehicle was pushed against a pedestrian bridge and the two inside were forced to climb onto the roof.

“In Tucson there are so many residential washes that run through these neighborhoods," Baker said. "And when you can’t see you have a hard time understanding the depth of the water, much less the force of the water.”

Baker said in this case the vehicle occupants were lucky, because firefighters were able to put a ladder down to them alongside the bridge, allowing them to climb up to safety.  But, he said observing the slogan "turn around, don’t drown" is good advice when it comes to these swift water incidents.