Crews from the Mesa Fire Department rescued a woman after her car went into a canal on Monday afternoon during monsoon storms.
According to fire officials, the incident happened on Bass Pro Drive near Loop 202 and Alma School Road.
It's unclear at this time how the car ended up in the canal.
The 71-year-old woman was reportedly able to breathe in an air pocket inside the flooded car. Fire officials say the woman suffered minor injuries in the incident.
"She's very lucky," said Dean Morales, a special operations captain with the Mesa Fire Department. "She's very lucky."
Cell phone video shows a rescuer bringing the woman to the surface.
"Typically firefighters don't go underwater unless they have scuba equipment," Morales said. "This was one of those operations that you do what it takes."
Morales told ABC15 there was likely an air pocket inside the car that allowed the woman to breathe until crews pried open the door and pulled her out.
"It's the only explanation we have," Morales said.
Witness Keven Braegger called it a "miracle" the woman survived.
"Just how deep that is, how the car is completely underwater, I don't know how anyone can survive that," Braegger said.
NEW video shows the moments rescue crews pulled a woman from a car in a Mesa canal. @MesaFireDept says an air pocket likely allowed her to breathe while trapped inside the car, which was submerged. She is alive. @abc15 (Video courtesy Merrill Brimley) pic.twitter.com/a8CaLWHRG6
— Mike Pelton (@MikePeltonABC15) July 10, 2018
Near AlmaSchool & 202fwy at BassProDrive crews rescued a woman in her 70’s from a car that went into a canal and flipped upside down. She was rescued by first on-scene firefighters. Patient w/ minor injuries. Patient able to breathe in air pocket in flooded car. pic.twitter.com/Dga6ZKgDJL
— Mesa (Arizona) Fire & Medical Dept (@MesaFireDept) July 10, 2018
Patient in 50’s in good condition. Car was in fact upright.
— Mesa (Arizona) Fire & Medical Dept (@MesaFireDept) July 10, 2018
