Firefighters rescue man trapped in car from icy New Jersey waters
New Jersey firefighters made a dramatic rescue when they pulled a man who was trapped in his car out of the Hackensack River.
First responders found the man "in distress and struggling to escape" after he veered off the roadway on Tuesday night near Court Street Bridge.
As the incoming tide approached, two firefighters were quickly lowered into the frigid waters.
Mike Rainville was on the hood of the car while Nicholas Webster was in the water to help the driver, whose leg was trapped.
They put a flotation device on him and pulled him out of the driver's side window and onto the roof of the car. He was put on a rescue boat and taken to a nearby hospital, where his condition remains unclear.
Officials praised the responders and said many of them received specialized water rescue training thanks to a federal grant.
The Hackensack Fire Department also stated the crew worked with a towing company to remove the SUV from the river. The county's hazmat team and police department also helped in securing the scene.