This morning, I witnessed quite an intense situation unfold near the Harper College campus in Palatine. It all started around noon when reports came in about a car submerged in a pond located on the northern side of the college grounds. As soon as the Palatine Fire Department received the call, they quickly mobilized. When they arrived, only the top of the car's roof was visible above the water, with the passenger door wide open—a clear sign that something urgent was going on.
Firefighters wasted no time. Divers from Palatine, Hoffman Estates, and Schaumburg immediately jumped into action, entering the water to search for any possible survivors. Within minutes, they located a woman inside the car. She was quickly pulled out and rushed to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the medical team, she was later pronounced dead. For updates, you can check out the Chicago Tribune's article [here](insert link) or the Daily Herald's coverage [here](insert link).
Back at the scene, backup divers stood by, prepared to assist if the primary team encountered any complications during their underwater search. Teams from nearby departments like Elk Grove, Arlington Heights, and Mt. Prospect were also on standby, ready to step in if needed. After the initial recovery effort, the divers worked closely with the police to take measurements for their ongoing investigation. Once the scene was fully secured, they used specialized equipment to hook onto the submerged vehicle, allowing it to be winched out of the pond with precision.
As someone who happened to be in the area, I was struck by how methodical and coordinated the response was. Larry Shapiro, a local photographer, was present and captured some incredible images of the entire operation. He even recorded a video of the car being pulled out, which gives a unique perspective on the scale of the effort required. You can view his full gallery [here](insert link).
What struck me most was the attention to detail and safety protocols. After each diver returned from the murky depths, they were thoroughly processed through a decontamination shower to ensure they didn’t bring anything hazardous back to the surface. This precautionary measure highlighted just how challenging the conditions must have been underwater. One of the photos shows a diver walking along the shoreline while others are submerged—capturing the teamwork and vigilance involved in such operations.
Overall, it was a somber reminder of the risks people face every day and the dedication of first responders who put themselves in harm's way to help others. The investigation into what led to this incident is still ongoing, with joint efforts from the Harper College Police Department, the Palatine Police Department, and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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