Dramatic video: Naperville crew saves man from sinking car

A team of Naperville firefighters arrived in time Friday to save a man whose vehicle was sinking in a pond, authorities said.

The man, who was underwater for an unknown amount of time, was alert and speaking - although slightly disoriented - when firefighters took him by ambulance to Edward Hospital, Division Chief Amy Scheller said.

Dispatchers got a call at 12:18 p.m. reporting a vehicle in a pond on the 2100 block of Winding River Drive behind a strip mall at the intersection of Route 59 and 87th Street. Bystanders told authorities that they saw at least one person attempting to get out of the vehicle as it sunk.

Four minutes later, the first firefighters arrived and one rushed into the water, wearing a "Gumby suit," not full scuba gear, and tethered to another person on shore, Scheller said. The crew began to search for the driver.

"When the crews went into the water, they weren't able to locate him right away," Scheller said. "The gentleman was able to reach a hand out of the water, so that's how they were able to find him. They grabbed his hand."

Taking the man to shore, paramedics began treating him with advanced life-support techniques until an ambulance arrived.

"We're pretty proud of that crew," Scheller said.

Naperville's specially trained dive team joined the response, too, and Scheller said members searched the pond to ensure there was no one else in the water. Police and dispatchers confirmed only the man was inside the vehicle when it went into the pond.

Scheller said authorities do not yet know what caused the vehicle to enter the water, but crews stayed on scene until 2:30 p.m., when it was towed out.

No firefighters or police officers were injured during the response. A civilian witness who wishes to remain anonymous provided the fire department with a dramatic video of the rescue.