After being dispatched at 10:15 am, firefighters from Kent, Valley Regional Fire Authority, and Renton searched for more than an hour for a vehicle with a person possibly trapped that had been reported in the Green River near State Route 167. The call was a 9-1-1 transfer from King County Police.
Despite having a rescue boat in the river and helicopters from KIRO and KOMO television stations assisting, no car was located. There were no additional reports of anyone seeing the car in the river.
According to Kent Fire Capt. Kyle Ohashi, responders had somewhat sketchy information about the alleged incident, as it came from a single caller, and it wasn’t clear how certain the caller was on the details.
“The caller sounded a little confused,” Ohashi said this afternoon. “It could be any number of things.”
Ohashi noted responders get submerged-vehicle calls several times a year, with the incidents chalked up to people intentionally dumping cars into rivers, or drivers losing control of their vehicles on roads that parallel the river.
“There’s nothing to stop you from driving down the embankments,” in some places, Ohashi said.
As to fatalities, Ohashi said cars driven accidentally into the river usually will float for a period of time “and people usually get out.”
Anyone who has seen the submerged vehicle in question should call 9-1-1 immediately.
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