Old Saybrook, CT - A normal morning drive turned scary very fast when heavy rain poured down and quickly filled the streets with water. In the Indiantown neighborhood, one driver got caught in the sudden flash flood, and their car ended up completely stuck in the middle of the road.

On the morning of August 3, 2026, emergency calls went out across Middlesex County asking for help. The Old Saybrook Fire Department rushed to the scene right away. When they got there, they found the car sitting deep in murky, fast-moving floodwater. The water was rising, and the current was strong enough that standard rescue cars and smaller trucks could not safely drive in without getting stuck or swept away too.

The firefighters knew they had to act fast to keep the driver safe, so they brought out their biggest tool: Unit 388. This is a massive, heavy-duty 5-ton truck built with huge tires specifically designed to push through deep water and rough spots where regular vehicles fail.

Crews carefully drove the giant truck right through the rushing water until they were parked right beside the trapped car. Firefighters were able to open the door, reach inside, and help the nervous driver climb up into the safety of the tall truck.

Thanks to the fast work of the crew and the right equipment, the driver was brought back to dry ground safe and sound without any injuries.

After the rescue, the fire department shared an important reminder for everyone in the community. Floodwater is much more dangerous than it looks, and it only takes a few inches of moving water to stall a car or carry it away. When it rains hard and water starts covering the street, never try to drive through it—always turn around and take a safer way home.