NJ troopers rescue man trapped in car during flash flood

SALEM COUNTY, N.J. - A pair of fast-acting state troopers worked to rescue a 65-year-old man whose car got stranded during a flash flood in southern New Jersey last Saturday.

Trooper Christopher Engel and Trooper Colin Reilly responded to a report of a stuck car on State Highway 40 in Pilesgrove Township at about 1:15 a.m.

"When they arrived, they observed a man trapped inside his vehicle, which was stuck in the water and pinned against the guardrail," State Police said in a Facebook post. "Due to the rising water coming from the nearby river and the pressure of the current, the troopers knew they needed to quickly get the man out of the vehicle and to a safe location."

Bodycam video shows the perspective of one trooper trudging through the floodwaters to get to the car. The video then shows the troopers helping the man out and guiding him away. 

Engel and Reilly escorted the man to a safe area where EMS checked him out, police said.

"Remember, flash flooding can happen quickly. If you encounter a flooded area, turn around," police said in the post. "Don't risk damaging your vehicle or putting yourself in danger. It's very difficult to determine the depth of the water in a flooded area."

Every year in the United States, more people die due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard, according to the National Weather Service. In fact, more than half of all flood-related drownings happen when a vehicle is driven into floodwater.

Pilesgrove Township is about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia.

With Storyful