MILLBRAE — Two people were found dead inside a submerged vehicle Thursday morning at a flooded underpass in Millbrae, according to authorities.
Firefighters responded around 5:45 a.m. to a call for help due to flooding at Hemlock Avenue and East Hillcrest Boulevard in Millbrae, according to San Mateo County Sheriff’s Detective Javier Acosta.
Officials arrived to find two people standing on the roof of their car, and another vehicle that was completely submerged in water.
The call came amid a series of storms that have covered the Bay Area with rain through the week.
After fire officials rescued the first pair of people, they tried to reach those in the second vehicle but weren’t able to because the water was rising too quickly and it “became dangerous” for the rescue crew, so they retreated, according to Acosta.
It took several hours to drain the flooded area, authorities said. Once it was clear, two people were found dead in the vehicle. Their identities were not immediately released.
The two vehicles were next to each other in the underpass where Hillcrest goes beneath the Caltrain tracks. The street provides access to the Bayside Manor neighborhood, about 200 homes between the railroad tracks and Highway 101.
Acosta couldn’t speak to what had happened exactly but said there was “heavy downpour that time of the morning” and “overwhelming rain.” Authorities say drivers should exercise extreme caution when road flooding happens and not attempt to drive through flooded areas.
“If you see standing water and if you’re not sure of the depth, don’t attempt to cross it. It’s not worth it,” Acosta said. “Even a few inches of rain can change your vehicle’s dynamics.”
There was another flooding report on Highway 1 in the Half Moon Bay area, according to Acosta.
Source: www.mercurynews.com