Man rescued from his vehicle in Everett retention pond

Published 11:05 pm Saturday, January 10, 2009

EVERETT— Firefighters on Saturday evening rescued a man from a 5-foot-deep water retention pond.

Crews rushed about 5:40 p.m. to rescue an 87-year-old man who was trapped in his sports utility vehicle in the middle of a storm water retention pond, Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.

The 75-by-40-foot, rectangular pond is alongside northbound Highway 525 at 148th St. SW.

The water had reached just 6 inches lower than the roof of the vehicle when crews arrived, Hynes said. Firefighters used a megaphone to urge the man to stay calm and keep his head in the pocket of air at the top.

A rescue technician in a dry suit and swim flippers swam to the vehicle with a rescue line, Hynes said. He broke a side window to free the man, then hauled his back to shore.

The man was the only person in the vehicle, Hynes said. It was not immediately known how he ended up in the pond.

Medics transported the man to a hospital. His injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.