Woman Videos Dramatic Rescue From Flooded Baltimore Tunnel

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Tuesday's downpours backed up drains in parts of the Baltimore and Baltimore County, causing serious flooding in several areas and stranding several individuals in and on their cars.

Near Bayview, three people were trapped in their cars under a tunnel. One even streamed her rescue live on Facebook. (Warning: Strong language is used in the video.)

For nearly 40 minutes, Shantay Allen streamed her perilous predicament on Facebook Live.

Allen was stuck on the roof of her car after she shattered her sunroof to escape as surging waters rose filling the inside of her sedan.

"Can somebody in my live people call 911?" she said during the video.

The incident took place in a small tunnel off Erdman Avenue in Southeast Baltimore.

Allen, who is unfamiliar with the area, said she was in town on an errand.

"The water started coming heavy and heavy," she said in the video.

Allen said she did try to call 911 for help but couldn't get through. When that failed she did the only thing she could think of to try and reach the outside world and that's turn to Facebook Live.

"I panicked you know I was just trying to see you know if I could roll the windows down and open the door. I don't know what was going on," she said.

Her video hit more 35,000 views.

Allen also recorded as firefighters came to the rescue. Many egged her on to jump in the water but she said first responders highly recommended against it.

"He didn't come out and straight say that it was feces or nothing, but when he said sewage and then just looking at it, I was just thinking to myself this is somebody's feces."

Allen said crews made mention of a drainage issue in the area.

"The car in front of me made it through, like easy breezy, and I was like 'oh I got it' but I didn't. Completely lost traction," said Alex Deruggierio, who also was trapped.

All of the action followed a day of flooding around the region from Highlandtown to Dundalk.

"it could have been much worse," Allen said. "I'm even more thankful that I didn't have to get into the water."

Allen went to the hospital as a precaution and then immediately home to clean up.

She said she is looking into possible legal options because she believes the flooding could have been prevented.

Local emergency services reported that there was high water flooding roads in several areas around Baltimore, up to almost four feet in some places.

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