Heavy Downpours Force Fire Department To Rescue Motorists In Arlington

ARLINGTON, VA — Heavy downpours forced Arlington County firefighters to make water rescues of motorists in the Pentagon City area on Friday.

“Crews are on the scene of a water Rescue Incident in the area of S. Joyce St and Army Navy Dr.,” the Arlington County Fire and EMS said shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

Several vehicles were stranded in high water, as crews used inflatable rescue boats to retrieve the people trapped when the floodwaters quickly engulfed their cars, the fire department said.

By 2 p.m., the motorists had been rescued and evaluated by medics at the scene. None of the motorists needed to be taken to the hospital, according to the officials.

People in the area should move to higher ground, and avoid walking or driving through floodwaters, officials said.

According to the National Weather Service, slow-moving showers and thunderstorms, similar to the storms on Thursday, were affecting Arlington and surrounding areas.