Phoenix Fire rescues stranded motorists on flooded street
Aug 12, 2014, 8:09 PM | Updated: 8:33 pm
PHOENIX — Phoenix firefighters have rescued at least 11 people stuck inside their cars as a flash flood has turned the area of 19th Avenue and Dobbins into a river.
Capt. Ruben Saavedra said the water is racing down the roads and these drivers never had a chance to make it through.
“This water came on so quick with the storm and with there being a wash there and…also a canal there, the water just pretty much absorbed that area,” he explained. “So I imagine people were trying to make it home and the water just overwhelmed them.”
Saavedra said 10 of the drivers are fine, but one person was taken to a hospital after he suffered from some sort of a medical condition while waiting for rescuers.
The monsoon storm that hit the Phoenix metropolitan area Tuesday evening caused
flight delays at Sky Harbor Airport and knocked out power to at least 2,400
homes and businesses in Tempe and also downed trees and light poles.
The storm dumped up to 1 1/2 inches of rain in Mesa and 2 inches of rain on
parts of northwest Tucson.
