Ferocious Mudslide Sends Firefighter’s Chevy SUV Into Ocean

Not long after huge wildfires tore through much of Los Angeles, the city was hit with huge rain storms which triggered an abrupt mudslide on the Pacific Coast Highway over the weekend. The mudslide took with it a vehicle from the Los Angeles Fire Department, sweeping it off the road near Malibu and straight into the Pacific Ocean.

Dramatic footage from the scene captured the aftermath of the accident, showing a white Chevrolet sitting in the surf after tumbling down a steep dirt embankment on the side of the road. The fire department official was driving along the road when his vehicle was hit. Thankfully, he was able to extricate himself from the wrecked SUV, but suffered some minor abrasions after the airbags went off.

Watch: Firefighters Bulldoze Abandoned Cars To Clear Roads In Palisades Fire

According to AOL, there was almost 6.5 inches of rain in the area. It hit a hillside next to the highway that was charred in January’s devastating fires and the shape of the slope acted as a funnel, according to LAFD Captain Erik Scott, directing a strong flow of water and mud across the road.

NBC was able to get its hands on dashcam footage from another patrol car that captured the moment the torrent of water hit the side of the Chevy, pushing it over the edge and towards the ocean. The Chevy was covered in a thick layer of dirty water as it fell over the cliff, but fortunately, it doesn’t appear to have rolled. Local news crews filmed the moment the driver managed to free himself as the torrent of water continued to rush past him. He was later transported to a local hospital to get checked out.

Local authorities urged motorists to avoid the areas hit by the mudslides, and schools in Malibu were closed on Thursday and Friday.