Massachusetts man rescued as his car was sinking into frozen pond

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Man rescued after car plunges into frozen pond

Plow driver dialed 911, first responders pulled man from water.

A plow driver in Massachusetts happened to be at the right place at the right time early Sunday when he spotted a vehicle go off the road and into an ice-covered pond.

The Winchendon Fire Department said in a Facebook post they received a call around 4 a.m. from a plow driver who spotted a car that drove onto and crashed through Hunts Pond, located about 65 miles northwest of Boston.

"He seen the accident, he seen the car go in the water, and he came down here and called 911 at the same time," Deputy Fire Chief Ricci Ruschioni told Boston 25 News.

A man survived after crashing his car into a pond in Massachusetts, thanks to the help of firefighters and a plow driver who was at the right place at the right time. (Winchendon Fire Department)

Ruschioni was one of the first responders to arrive at the scene, and found the car in the water with the driver still inside.

"The guy was still in the vehicle and trapped, I live less than a quarter mile away, I arrived on the scene and the kid had just self-ejected and was sitting on the roof," Ruschioni said.

"With exposure to water like that, the water's only about 40 degrees, you're talking about 5 minutes with exposure like that, would have been in severe hypothermia."

— Deputy Winchendon Fire Chief Ricci Ruschioni

The vehicle was in about 8 to 10 feet of water, with temperatures below freezing at the time.

As authorities were waiting for proper equipment to arrive, the car started to "quickly" sink, and firefighters were able to throw a rope to the man and have him tie it around himself. Officials were then able to pull the driver to shore.

Ruschioni said with the help of a few officers, firefighters, and a public works crewman, they were able to pull the man out of the water uninjured. They were also eventually able to remove the car as well.

A man survived after crashing his car into a pond in Massachusetts, thanks to the help of firefighters and a plow driver who was at the right place at the right time. (Winchendon Fire Department)

If the plow driver did not notice the crash, first responders said the man wouldn't have stood a chance in the conditions early Sunday.

"With exposure to water like that, the water's only about 40 degrees, you're talking about 5 minutes with exposure like that, would have been in severe hypothermia," Ruschioni told Boston 25 News. "Like I said, would have been a lot worse.