ORLANDO, Fla. – Several vehicles got stuck on flooded roadways Sunday, officials in the Orlando area said.
Orange County Fire Rescue reported that its crews were assisting with three or four stranded cars.
Officials estimated the water in some areas was 2 to 3 feet deep. Some roads have been closed until conditions improve, Fire Rescue authorities said, although they didn’t specify which streets those were.
Three or four cars were stranded Sunday evening in the area of Silver Star Road and Powers Drive. As of 8:10 p.m., officials said the cars were cleared, although deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Office remained at the scene. A drainage crew responded, as well.
"When I came through, it got higher, and when I got to the middle of it, it kind of took my wheels off the ground, so it pushed me to the side of the road," driver Edmond Jones said.
Jones said he didn't realize how high the water was until it was too late. He said he saw several children being rescued from a car when a driver made the same mistake.
"It gets bad because the water starts coming into the car, so it’s kind of good they made it out," Jones said.
Driver Joseph Abolean was stuck in the water too, and got his car towed away.
"It just stopped in the middle of the road because the water was overflowing," Abolean said.
News 6 asked the Florida Highway Patrol if a multi-vehicle crash Sunday on Highway 417 south, near the Colonial Drive exit, was weather-related. Traffic there was backed up for hours.
News 6 is still waiting for a response from troopers.
The Orlando Fire Department posted on its Twitter page, “Use extra caution in bad weather. Tower 1 crew just assisted a driver and a child from a vehicle stuck in flooding.” That took place at South and Gore streets.