Tow companies remove vehicles after flash flood
After last night’s flash floods, many cars were left to be towed with multiple mechanical problems.
Randy Crow owner of Crow Tow gave KCCI’s Beau Bowman an inside look at the process of removing the vehicles.
On some of the cars towed by Crow Tow on Saturday night, waterlines show just how much some streets flooded.
Des Moines police said they were sent out to more than 100 cars and people stranded on flooded roadways Saturday night. Some of those people were trapped inside their cars.
"Until the water inside reaches [a certain] level, you will not be able to get that door [open], and then it will still be very difficult,” Crow said.
Crow said it's next to impossible to get the smell to go away, but that's the least of the car owners’ problems.
"You can have electric door handles on the inside and on the outside, electric windows, If you lost 100% of your power, you literally could not get out of the car,” Crow said.
Not only will the water ruin the car's motor, it could short-circuit the wiring.
Crow said a Cadillac his business towed lost power in its electric doors and windows.
"By time they realize how deep, it's always too late,” Crow said.
If there were people inside the car at the time, they would have been trapped.
"It appears that the water may only be 6 or 8 inches deep when literally it can be feet deep,” Crow said. “And there's no way for them to really understand how deep it is."
Crow won't let his drivers tow the cars until the water goes down.
“We wait until it recedes and there’s a minor amount of water to where we can actually secure the vehicle, load the vehicle and take the vehicle,” Crow said.
More than 64 cars were abandoned Saturday night.
"Many have attempted. Not a soul has driven away yet,” Crow said.