An elderly woman is lucky to be alive on Thursday after her car was trapped in Lake Houston for as long as 45 minutes, local fire officials told a Houston television news station.
The Houston Fire Department said that the incident happened at about 9 a.m. on Thursday morning near the Duessen Park Boat Ramp in northeast Houston. A fisherman spotted the car going in the water and contacted firefighters and police. The officials were able to tow the car out of the lake with their boat, however according to reports, they were not immediately aware that a woman was trapped in the car.
As rescuers towed the vehicle out of the water, the 60-year-old woman floated out of the driver's window to the surface and gasped for air after being in the submerged car for about 45 minutes.
Investigators at the Harris County Sheriff's Office explained that the woman was able to survive because a small pocket of air was trapped in the car.
Although she was confused after being rescued, KENS 5 News reports that the woman was talking as medical help transferred her to the hospital. Officials assure that she is doing well.
Investigators are not certain why the woman drove the car off the boat ramp, and the incident is still under investigation by the HPD's Lake Patrol.
