3 people rescued from rushing floodwaters in Tucson within 30 minutes

Tucson residents faced dangerous flooding in multiple parts of the city and surrounding foothills after heavy rain, with three people rescued from moving water within 30 minutes Monday evening and a 20 year old cyclist pulled from a flooded bridge in Sabino Canyon on Thursday morning. The incidents show how quickly normally passable streets, washes and crossings can become life threatening during summer storms. Firefighters and deputies repeatedly warned residents not to enter floodwater by vehicle, bicycle or on foot.

The Monday rescues unfolded across Tucson in a series of emergency calls. At 4:47 p.m., Tucson firefighters were sent to the area of Calle Betelgeux and Avenida Sirio, where a vehicle had become trapped in moving water. The driver had climbed onto the roof of the vehicle by the time crews arrived. Firefighters used an aerial ladder to reach the person and bring them to safety. Video released by the department showed a firefighter climbing down the ladder while floodwater surrounded the car.

Fourteen minutes later, at 5:01 p.m., crews received another report of a vehicle being swept toward Speedway Boulevard. The driver was still inside as the vehicle moved along the Alamo Wash. Two firefighters and a nearby neighbor reached the driver and pulled the person away from the rushing water. Another video showed a white sport utility vehicle completely surrounded by floodwater and lodged beneath a bridge, illustrating the force of the current and the danger facing anyone who tried to remain in or approach the vehicle.

The third rescue came less than 15 minutes after that, at 5:12 p.m., near Grant Road and Wyatt Drive, behind Tucson Medical Center. A person was reported to be caught in the water and being carried downstream. Security guards helped the person climb out. Two of the three people rescued during the Monday incidents were taken to hospitals, though Tucson Fire Department did not provide their medical conditions.

The department said the three calls arrived in rapid succession, all within half an hour. That compressed timeline was part of its warning to the public: conditions can change with little notice during a heavy storm, and water that appears shallow can still knock a person down or carry away a vehicle. Fire officials urged people to turn around and find another route instead of driving or walking through flooded areas.

The danger continued beyond the Monday evening rescues. On Thursday morning, about 8 a.m., a 20 year old woman was riding a bicycle with two family members across a bridge in Sabino Canyon when fast flowing water knocked her from the bike. The bridge was covered by water after a night of rain. According to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, she remained underwater for multiple minutes while family members and passersby tried to pull her out. Firefighters and deputies later assisted with the rescue.

The cyclist was eventually removed from the water, and people began performing CPR until she regained consciousness. The Sheriff's Department did not identify her. She and another person were hospitalized, and Rural Metro Fire Department reported that both were stable. The department reminded residents that flooded washes and crossings should not be attempted under any circumstances, including on a bicycle, in a vehicle or on foot.

Rainfall totals showed why flooding developed so quickly across the region. Tucson International Airport, which serves as the official location for local weather records, recorded 0.78 inches overnight. The Pima County Flood Control District reported higher amounts elsewhere, including as much as 2.32 inches at Arthur Pack Park, 2.24 inches near East Irvington and South Pantano Road, 2.13 inches along the Rillito near North La Cholla Boulevard and 1.61 inches at the Tucson Water Treatment Plant on the southwest side.

For people traveling through Tucson, the rescues carry a practical warning about familiar roads and crossings. A vehicle can be swept away even when water does not appear deep, and a wash can become hazardous far from where rain is falling. The Monday incidents involved a car roof, a moving vehicle and a person near a medical center, while the Sabino Canyon rescue involved a bridge used by cyclists. Officials did not announce additional measures or closures in the information provided, but their message was consistent: do not test flooded water, and choose another route before a normal trip becomes an emergency.