SUV Submerged At South Jersey Dam Sparks Overnight Rescue Effort, Firefighters Say

An SUV was discovered submerged at the bottom of a dam in Pittsgrove, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving multiple agencies, officials said.

An SUV crashed and went into the water at the Centerton Pond Dam in Pittsgrove, NJ, on December 16, 2024.
Photo Credit: *Facebook - Centerton Fire Company*

Chris Spiker

12/16/2024 3:12 p.m.

First responders arrived at the corner of Deerfield Road and Centerton Road early in the morning on Monday, Dec. 16, the Centerton Fire Company said in a Facebook post.

When firefighters arrived, they found one person safely out of the vehicle and scattered debris at the scene—but no car in sight. After further investigation, the vehicle was found submerged at the bottom of the dam, under the water.

A water rescue crew confirmed that no one else was inside the vehicle. Due to the conditions, emergency officials decided to leave the GMC Terrain underwater until daylight.

Later in the morning, the Downe Township dive team and Battelini Towing worked together to recover the SUV.

Pittsgrove's emergency management office was notified and state police remained at the scene to secure the area.

"We would like to thank all companies and departments that came out to assist with this operation," the Centerton Fire Company posted.

Salem County public works evaluated a guardrail damaged by the crash.

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