Public Safety
LAFD rescues three people from rain-swollen Pacoima Wash
Firefighters used ground crews, a helicopter and an aerial ladder to pull three people from fast-moving water in North Hills.
Los Angeles firefighters rescued two men and a woman from the Pacoima Wash Thursday morning as one of the season’s first significant storms moved through Southern California.
Initial response: About 9 a.m.
Location: Pacoima Wash near Parthenia Street in North Hills
People rescued: Three
Additional person reported: Safely out before firefighters arrived
Helicopter and ladder crews reach people in the channel
ABC7 reported that firefighters first removed a woman from the wash near 15012 W. Parthenia St. She was stable when paramedics took her to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
A helicopter crew then hoisted a man from the rushing water and flew him to a hospital. Firefighters later used an aerial ladder to reach a third person who was holding onto a bridge support near Saticoy Street.
Bystanders initially reported that four people might be in the channel. LAFD said the fourth person had made it out before crews arrived and that no additional victims were suspected after the three rescues.
Residents should stay out of flood-control channels during storms because water can rise quickly even when nearby streets appear passable.
Official updates: Los Angeles Fire Department alerts →
Original reporting: ABC7 Los Angeles — October 22, 2026 →