Two-year-old rescued from car on flooded street in Chelsea

A Chelsea firefighter waded through about 3 feet of water Sunday morning to rescue a toddler from a car stuck on a flooded street, according to Chelsea Fire Department.

The car stalled in the water as the parents of the 2-year-old boy were driving on Vale Street, Deputy Fire Chief John Quatieri said. Their Nissan Altima came to a stop in water high enough to reach the car’s windows, he said.

Firefighters arrived at about 9 a.m. to find the boy’s mother, 39, who had managed to exit the car, standing nearby, said Chelsea Fire Captain Robert Brown. He said the boy’s father, 41, who had been driving, was trapped in the car with the child.

“There really wasn’t any imminent danger other than them getting wet,” Brown said. “They kept their cool and their composure.”

A firefighter dressed in a dry suit walked to the car and carried the 2-year-old boy out and over to emergency responders who were waiting nearby as a precaution, Brown said.

The boy’s father, who was recovering from a previous injury, could not open his door due to the height of the water. Firefighters opened the door and he walked away from the car.

None of the three was injured, Brown said, but the car was damaged.

“The whole inside compartment was flooded,” he said.

The vehicle was towed and the family called relatives for a ride, he said.

Chelsea Firefighter Brian Bermudez rescues 2yo from partially submerged vehicle on Vale St this morning. @ChelseaFire_MA pic.twitter.com/RzlVzRaOyu

— CFD282 (@Capt282) April 2, 2017

More than 2½ inches of rain had fallen in the area during the past two days, according to the National Weather Service.

A dip in Vale Street at the Chelsea-Everett line floods often and sometimes traps vehicles, a problem Quatieri said will be remedied soon with new development in the area.

“This section of Vale Street is prone to flooding after any storm we have,” Quatieri said.

Both sides of the street had been closed by police because of the flooding, but temporary barriers on the Everett side had been moved, Brown said.

He said the driver must have driven past the barriers and underestimated the depth of the water.