Denver’s ‘two-year flash flood’ prompts at least 15 road rescues
KSwinicki
During a one hour span during Saturday night’s storm, the Denver Fire Department conducted between 15 and 20 water rescues for people trapped in their cars, according to rescue officials.
“It was so busy last night it was hard to keep track of all of it,” DFD spokesperson J.D. Chism said.
No injuries have been reported, according to fire officials and the Denver Police Department.
Between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., at the heart of Denver’s torrential rainfall, the fire department received 90 calls for service, according to the fire department.
In comparison, Denver’s fire department averages 300 calls for service a day, according to DFD officials.
The downpour flooded several Denver roadways, prompting people to stop in the middle of the roads, traffic to build up, and people to be trapped, according to first responders.
Denver Police Department spokesperson Kurt Barnes said police had assisted with calls for service on the wet roads. Otherwise, it was a slower night for police, he added.
Denver Gazette news partner 9News weather meteorologist Chris Bianchi reported there to be 1.5 inches of rainfall in metro Denver last night.
The metro Denver area averages around 15 inches of rainfall annually.
Chism attributed Saturday night’s activity to the “two-year big flash flood,” he said, adding some parts of the roads flood more, and that drivers “think they can make it through, and then their car gets stuck.”




