Unoccupied Car Found in Mahwah River in Hillburn

A car was found in the Mahwah River this morning in Hillburn, setting off an effort by volunteer firefighters from New York and New Jersey to get onto the fast-moving river and get to the vehicle.

Officials said a search determined that there was no one in the car and they are uncertain how the vehicle got into the river. The car was in an area that has seen several similar incidents in recent years.

The incident, which started at about 8:30 a.m., led to about a two-hour operation so that volunteer firefighters could safely reach the car. At the time, water was rising at about a foot an hour and was moving very fast.

Firefighters from Hillburn were assisted by firefighters from Mahwah, NJ, who brought a specialized fan-driven boat that could be used on the river. Firefighters were able to inspect the sunken car from the boat.

Hillburn volunteers were also assisted by volunters from Stony Point, Thiells and Sloatsburg, with Suffern volunteers on standby in case of other emergencies.