Streetcar and car caught in flood under King Street West bridge. (Photo courtesy of TeenaInToronto via Twitter.com)
Toronto is reeling from the rain Tuesday night. And two people are very lucky to be alive.
It could have been a scene out of a Hollywood movie.
The two men were rescued from a flooded elevator in the basement of a building near Jane and St. Clair.
The men had gone downstairs early on in the rain to check their cars. They didn't know there was already water in the basement. So when the elevator hit the basement, the electricity went out. The doors locked shut.
But the escape hatch atop the elevator had been bolted shut.
Eventually, by hammering the top of the elevator like mad, they opened a bit of a slit. They were able to squeeze a cell phone through that to find service and called 911. That call was made at 10:52 p.m. Tuesday.
Police say the trapped men watched as the water kept rising up along the elevator buttons for each floor.
Two 12 Division officers actually swam their way through to make the rescue. Then they had to force the door open to get the men out.
Police say there was just one foot of air space left at the time of the rescue.
This is just one of many stories of rescue during Tuesday's flash floods in Toronto. It was an unexpected night, full of community support.
