Indiana Firefighters Rescue Flood Victims

In Sellersburg, firefighters rescued a total of eight people from two vehicles left stranded in high water.

June 19, 2009

2 min read

SELLERSBURG, Ind. --

Heavy rain and wind brought down trees and power lines and flooded low-lying areas throughout metro Louisville and southern Indiana.

In Sellersburg, firefighters rescued a total of eight people from two vehicles left stranded in high water. Emergency crews pulled people from their vehicles in two separate water rescues Thursday.

Emergency crews said the first rescue happened on Highway 31. Crews pulled four elderly people from their vehicle. No injuries were reported.

The second rescue happened on Penn Avenue. Four people were taken from their SUV and transported by boat to dry land. Nobody was injured. WLKY's NewsChopper captured that rescue from start to finish.

"We started to go through a little bit of water. It got higher; pretty soon it was a little bit higher," said Don Johnson.

Courtney Roland and Johnson were in a sport utility vehicle with two others when they had to be rescued.

Each carefully climbed out the passenger side and onto the hood before slipping into the rescue boat.

The SUV stalled out in high water on South Penn Avenue, a narrow street that runs along the railroad tracks in Sellersburg.

There were signs about the flooded conditions on the roadway.

"I can't believe they drove around the barricades, came around drove down through it. You have it on the news all the time. Here they are," said Mike Spurgeon, who worked nearby and saw the ordeal.

Firefighters rescued two at a time from the stranded vehicle. All four were dropped off at a dry spot on the parking lot of the Garrett warehouse.

Following their ordeal, Roland and Johnson offered this advice.

"Stay out of the water," said Roland. "Don't try it."

The two offered their special thanks to the Sellersburg Fire Department.