CORAL GABLES, FL – A South Florida woman had a harrowing start to her week after her SUV plunged off the side of a parking garage, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic fall thanks to a fortuitously placed tree. The dramatic incident, which took place around 9:15 a.m. Monday, was captured on video as firefighters executed a daring rescue.
Emergency responders were quickly on the scene near South Red Road and San Remo Avenue after the driver mistakenly hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, sending her vehicle through a concrete barrier on the third floor of the parking structure. The SUV was left precariously dangling nearly 30 feet above the ground, stopped only by a tree that prevented a potentially fatal drop.
Witnesses described the chaotic scene as first responders worked to extract the woman from her Porsche. “I heard a car peeling out and then a loud crash,” said Tatiana Polanco, who works across the street and was among the first to call for help. “When we looked up, we saw the car in the tree.”
Firefighters were lowered by rope to reach the trapped driver, who was surprisingly uninjured despite the terrifying ordeal. Within 20 minutes, they had safely removed her from the vehicle. “She was pretty shaken up but remained relatively calm given the circumstances,” said a member of the Coral Gables Fire Rescue team.
Photos from inside the garage reveal just how close the SUV came to falling completely off the side. A crane was later used to lift the vehicle back into the garage, and structural engineers were brought in to assess the integrity of the building.
Crews have since been working to shore up the damaged section of the garage. A plank was placed against the third floor where the SUV had crashed through the barrier, ensuring the structure’s safety.
The driver was taken to a local hospital for evaluation but is expected to make a full recovery. The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly accidents can happen and the importance of quick-thinking first responders.