Off-duty firemen, several fishermen, rescued three people after car plunged in Gloucester Cove

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Three people were saved after their car plunged around 20 feet into Harbor Cove in Gloucester.

On Sunday, around 10:49 A.M., two off-duty firemen were on a nearby boat when they witnessed the car go over the granite barriers and land on its roof into the water.

The pair of firemen, Deputy Chief Andrew McRobb and Lt. William Doucette, called the incident into their dispatch center.

Several crewmen of the Tight Lines lobster boat raced to the submerged car, as Lt. Doucette dove into the water to aid them.

The group, alongside a small group of bystanders, worked together, with one of the fishermen smashing one of the car’s windows with a hammer to assist the trapped individuals.

“Fortunately, it was low tide and not high tide,” said Gloucester Deputy Chief Tom LoGrande.

As Gloucester Fire crews arrived on the scene, they found that the occupants, all conscious and alert, were out of the vehicle but were still in the water. The bystanders and off-duty firemen were aiding them and keeping their heads above the water.

All three occupants of the vehicle were transported to nearby hospitals with varying injuries.

Additionally, Lt. Doucette was also transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

“Lt. Doucette jumped into the water with little regard for his own safety,” said Deputy Chief LoGrande. “I’m happy to report that Lt. Doucette is okay after this ordeal. Three people could have easily been lost in Gloucester this morning if not for the bold and decisive actions of these two firefighters and a group of very brave bystanders.”

“That’s what you want as a firefighter,” Said Lt. Doucette. “To be there when the bad stuff happens so you can make a difference, and today was the day.”

Initial investigation revealed that the car had driven around the granite barriers and over the seawall, plunging around 15-20 feet into the water.

“They didn’t have minutes, it was a good thing we were there and did what we did because they didn’t have much longer,” Doucette said.

“We’d like to thank everyone who helped get these three people get out of the vehicle,” said Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith. “If not for all of their selfless efforts, this could have been a tragic day in Gloucester. Instead, this is an inspirational story of our community banding together to help three people in mortal danger. All of these people working together in an emergency makes me proud to be a Gloucester resident.”

A local tow truck was able to remove the vehicle from the water.

Gloucester Police were also on scene to assist with traffic and crowd control.

The incident remains under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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