Off-duty firefighter and fisherman rescue 3 women after car plunges into water in Massachusetts

GLOUCESTER Massachusetts WBZ Three women were saved by quick-acting firefighters fishermen and bystanders when their car plunged to feet into Harbor Cove in Gloucester Massachusetts Sunday morning Off-duty firefighter Lt William Buddy Doucette wasted no time jumping into the water just before a m when he heard the screech and saw a car flying into the air off the pier landing on the roof and trapping the occupants Off-duty firefighter jumped into water There wasn t any time to be scared because you had to react to get them out of the water If they didn t get out of the water they would have died commented Doucette It s fight or flight you either run towards the case or you run away I m inevitably the person that runs towards it Lobsterman Captain Mark Lodge was only feet away himself tied up right next to Doucette who was working on his own boat and grabbed a hammer I took the sledgehammer reached down underneath the water and tapped the window and it broke instantly I was able to open the door mentioned Doucette The women were upside down partially submerged strapped in by their seatbelts It was an intense effort to keep the women s heads above water as rescuers tried to free them using lobstermen s knives to cut the belts That saved those people s lives I m convinced of that that quick action declared Gloucester Deputy Fire Chief Tom LoGrande It doesn t take long to drown women taken to hospital It s unclear the circumstances of why the women broke through a metal sign and around concrete barrier but by the time they hit the water firefighters explained they had already suffered injuries just from the crash Fortunately the water was at low tide which helped the rescuers get their footing The first lady we got out of the truck her head was cut and bleeding pretty good The second lady out she was pretty pale in color breathing thank God reported Lodge It was a rescue where every second counted a fact not lost on Doucette I can honestly say that being there saved three people commented Doucette The women were transported to hospitals with varying injuries while the cause of the crash is under assessment