Video shows heroic Utah cops, firefighters jumping into cold canal waters to rescue two kids from drowning car
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH: Body camera footage has shown police and firefighters working frantically to save the lives of two kids after a vehicle landed upside down in the Jordan Surplus Canal. The car submerged in the canal after the driver, an adult female, lost control of it and risked her as well as the lives of four children — ages 17, 16, 15, and 2.
According to a press release from the Salt Lake City Police Department, the incident happened on Saturday, August 8, around 11 pm. The release stated that the driver of the car, whose name is not known, and two oldest kids escaped from the vehicle to save their lives, but the youngest ones remained trapped when local police responded to the scene to save them.
It has reported that four officers who arrived at the scene responded quickly by taking off their vests and belts and ran into the water to save the kids as the vehicle went under the surface. “With no thought to personal safety, officers immediately stripped their gear and attempted a daring rescue of these two children. It was dark. The water was cold. But these officers did not hesitate to come to the aid and work to save lives. I am proud of them,” Police Chief Mike Brown said.
In addition, Salt Lake City Fire Department also arrived at the scene to help in the rescue operation. One of the officers from the department even used a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which is worn to get breathable air in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health, to break into the vehicle before recusing both the children. Soon after the retrieval, both the kids were passed on to Salt Lake City Fire Paramedics, who were able to revive them. The children were then shifted to an area hospital for treatment. However, a WHNT report claimed that the 15-year-old kid identified as Justin Bates by his family succumbed to his injuries Monday, August 10, while the younger one’s condition is critical.
Meanwhile, Fire Chief Karl Lieb said: “The rescue of these two children illustrates the dedication of Salt Lake City’s public safety employees. The immediate action of both SLCPD and SLCFD brought both children out of the water and to awaiting medical care. And I am exceedingly proud of our team’s commitment to preserving life — even at great risk to our own.”
In another incident, a two-year-old boy died after his mother allegedly missed the flood signs and drove into high water. The incident happened in Indianapolis, Indiana when Anthonette Carter was traveling eastbound on County Road 925, and local authorities said that the mother missed a high-water sign that warns drivers of potential flooding because of heavy rains that had hit the area in recent days. "Carter allegedly did not see the sign and drove into floodwater which had completely covered the road," the State Police said in a news release.
After the vehicle went into the water, Carter was able to save herself but failed to do so for her son, Long. She reportedly did not know swimming so her attempt to save the toddler went in vain.