The San Bernardino County Fire Department rescued several people whose cars were trapped in mud on Highway 330 in the San Bernardino Mountains on Thursday night about a mile north of the City Creek ranger station.
“They were all just driving and there was a huge rush of mud across the road,” said Capt. Mark Howder, who was on the first engine to arrive. “They didn’t know what happened and they were spinning around in circles.”
The mud was up to the cars’ window sills. The cars wound up about three feet below the level of the highway and off the road. The occupants were not injured, Howder said Friday.
A man and his wife were in one car and were able to get themselves out. Another car had a husband, wife, daughter and dog, and a third contained a husband, wife and daughter.
In the pouring rain, firefighters placed 24-foot extension ladders on top of the mud for the victims to walk across, and they did so safely, Howder said.
One girl was crying as she exited her car, but a firefighter who has a daughter of his own coaxed a smile and laugh out of her and they walked across the ladder, Howder said.
“Sometimes it’s the worst time in their life and you want to put them at ease,” the captain said.
He described the rescue as “slow, methodical and safe. It went very good.”
The mud was so thick, however, that tow trucks could not get to the scene, Howder said. The cars were still there Friday.
Highway 330 remained closed Friday afternoon between Highland Avenue in Highland to Live Oak Drive up in the mountains. Caltrans officials had no estimate for when the highway would reopen, according to a social media post, and could not be reached by phone for updates.
Updates on road conditions can be found on the Caltrans Quickmap or by following Caltrans District 8 on X at @caltrans8.
