Quick Thinking Saves Mother and Child from Submerged Vehicle in Ottauquechee River

Photo by Hartford Fire Department

Photo by Hartford Fire Department
Hartford , VT - Hartford Fire Department responded to reports of an occupied vehicle submerged in the Ottauquechee River near Quechee Main Street. Crews arrived to find a woman and her 2-year-old son safely on the riverbank after escaping the sinking vehicle. The mother freed her child from his car seat, cut through a deployed airbag, and exited through a window before both swam to shore.
They were transported to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for evaluation, with no serious injuries reported. Rescue swimmers confirmed there were no additional occupants, and the vehicle was later removed from the river with assistance from Sabil and Sons Inc.
The Hartford Police Department is investigating the cause of the crash.