Car Teeters Over Edge 5th-Floor Of Santa Monica Parking Structure

SANTA MONICA, CA – A vehicle hanging off the side of the fifth floor parking level of City Parking Structure #5 located on 1440 4th Street in Santa Monica was pulled to safety Monday. Around 10:30 a.m., Santa Monica firefighters responded to the scene, where a late model Honda Civic had driven off of the parking platform was was "precariously hanging over the edge, only held in place by steel barrier cables," according to the Santa Monica Police Department.

Before first responders got to the scene, a bystander who witnessed the car drive off the ledge of the parking garage pulled the driver, a woman in her 60s, from the vehicle. The driver reported to SMPD that she accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal when trying to park.

Members of the Santa Monica Fire Department’s Urban Search & Rescue Team quickly secured the
vehicle to prevent it from falling any further, while Santa Monica Police Officers evacuated the area and
set up a safety perimeter. Firefighters requested two tow trucks from a local tow company to assist in
executing their plan on safely pulling the vehicle from the edge and back to safety, the press release said. At 11:45 a.m. the operation was complete and all hazards were mitigated.

Twenty-five firefighters responded with help from the Santa Monica Police Department and the Pacific Tow
Company of Santa Monica, SMPD reported. The driver was evaluated by Paramedics, and there were no injuries reported to the driver, bystanders, or first responders.