An off-duty firefighter rescued two teenage girls trapped in an overturned vehicle Monday morning in Hockinson.

A white four-door sedan rolled over into a ditch full of water at Northeast Ward Road and Northeast Davis Road, trapping the occupants inside, said Fire District 3 Chief Steve Wrightson. Water seeped into the car and started rising in the vehicle.

“The problem with these large ditches is that there’s no room for error,” Wrightson said.

Off-duty Capt. Drew Simpson was driving behind the car when he saw the accident. He used a tool in his pickup to break the side window and helped the occupants out of the car, according to a bulletin from Fire District 3. The teens were cold and startled but not injured. Firefighters arrived at 10:39 a.m.

“It’s fortunate that our off-duty firefighter was right behind them,” Wrightson said.

Written by Paula Hastings/The Columbian

Republished 2052 PST Hours 12/18/12