TAMPA, Florida. – The driver inside a car partially submerged in a pond died, Tampa police said. A child, who was also inside the car, was rescued.
Tampa Fire Rescue said a vehicle with a 38-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl jumped into a pond at Lauren Vista and K-Bar Ranch Parkway in New Tampa.
Officials said the boy was taken out of the vehicle, but the driver was trapped and died at the scene.
Tampa Police and Tampa Fire Rescue are helping with the rescue.
Officials say fire rescue personnel immediately entered the water to try to rescue the driver.
“They worked tirelessly for several minutes until it became clear that they could not get it out until the vehicle was taken out of the water.”
Officials say the driver was underwater for almost an hour before he was able to remove the car. They also said the vehicle sank deeper into the pond as they tried to rescue the driver.
Now the police are investigating.
Look at the Tampa Fire press shortly after the incident:
Tampa officials report car submerged in pond (FULL PRESS CONFERENCE)