1 Vehicle In South Platte River Removed, 5 More To Go
DENVER (CBS4)- A sixth vehicle that ended up in the South Platte River has been removed, leaving five others still in the water.
The sixth vehicle was removed from the rushing water on Sunday morning because it was close enough to the bank for a tow truck to reach it.
"That one has already been removed, not sure how that one got removed, I'm guessing it was near the edge so it was easier to hook up," said Denver Fire Department spokeswoman Melissa Taylor.
The Denver Fire Department has a plan to remove the other vehicles soon, possibly this week.
Taylor said although the number of vehicles that remain in the water seems high, it's not unusual, "It happens... car accidents, people dumping stolen cars, things of that nature. It's not super uncommon what is uncommon is our inability to get the cars out of the river."
The retrieval of abandoned vehicles from the river is conducted after a risk benefit analysis.
Until recently, high water levels and rushing water have prevented the Swift Water Rescue team from attempting to remove those vehicles because it is just too dangerous for the crew.
"We will risk a lot to save a life, we will absolutely put firefighters in the water if we suspect someone is in one of those vehicles. But once it's just the vehicle it becomes a life and safety issue for our rescuers," said Taylor.
Until conditions improve, Taylor said the firefighters will leave those vehicles behind and keep a close watch for any new additions.
"We are keeping close tabs on what is already in the river, where it is located and the description of the vehicles so when callers call we can make sure we are responding to calls appropriately if we think it's a new car in the river," said Taylor.
