CHARLOTTE — A daring rescue happened Tuesday afternoon after raging floodwaters carried a car down the Briar Creek at the Windsor Harbor apartments off Shamrock Drive in east Charlotte.
A major storm brought 2.5 inches of rain to Charlotte, which caused widespread flooding.
A bridge stopped the car from going down the creek any farther.
Residents quickly rushed in with a wooden beam and rammed the passenger window until it broke freeing the driver.
They then pulled him out of the submerged car to safety.
Breaking: @jorgeveleztv obtained video of today’s dramatic rescue in Windsor Harbor in east Charlotte. Residents used a large wood beam to break windows of the car floating down Briar Creek to rescue the driver @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/WjFd9r9aHX
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) January 10, 2024
Estela Hernandez witnessed the rescue.
“Oh my God, that was horrible, horrible,” Hernandez said. “We were all in shock after they took him out of the car.”
Hernandez described the intense moments to Telemundo’s Jorge Vélez.
“They were breaking the windows because the car was locked when they tried to open the door to pull him out as the car was stuck next to the bridge,” Hernandez said.
Residents were left cleaning up the damage on Wednesday.
“I was shocked, woke up to it, didn’t know anything was going on, looked out my window, and saw my car was flooded, as well,” said Jerrell Burnett, a resident.
Burnett said some of his belongings were damaged, but they can be replaced.
“I hope everybody’s safe and their homes are good and cars are good,” he said.
No one was injured.
VIDEO: Roads flood as storms churn across Charlotte area
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