WASHINGTON — A woman experiencing an apparent mental health crisis prompted a large emergency response Tuesday evening after entering a stormwater tunnel connected to Rock Creek, forcing the closure of all lanes of Rock Creek Parkway during the height of the evening rush.
The incident began near the intersection of 23rd and P streets NW, where District of Columbia Fire and EMS personnel were responding to reports of a naked woman at a gas station, according to witnesses.
At some point during the response, the woman fled from the ambulance toward nearby Rock Creek. After emergency crews lost sight of her, officials launched a full water rescue response out of concern that she had entered the creek, bringing firefighters, rescue personnel and police officers to the area. Authorities closed Rock Creek Parkway in both directions as crews searched the creek.
Responders later determined that the woman had entered the Slash Run stormwater tunnel, an underground drainage system that connects to Rock Creek to the former Slash Run creek that is now contained by tunnels under Dupont Circle.
For roughly an hour, as a thunderstorm approached the city, firefighters worked to persuade the woman to come out voluntarily while simultaneously trying to determine her location within the tunnel network. Crews opened multiple manhole covers in the Dupont Circle area to gain access to the underground system and identify additional entry points if a rescue became necessary.
The woman was eventually brought safely out of the tunnel by D.C. Fire and EMS personnel. She was transported to a medical facility for evaluation and treatment.
The rescue brought traffic on Rock Creek Parkway to a standstill during the evening commute as emergency vehicles lined the roadway and police diverted motorists around the closure.
Authorities did not release the woman’s identity or provide additional information about her condition. The incident remained an emergency medical response rather than a criminal investigation.
