Rescuer recalls moment he saw car collapse into Schenectady sinkhole

A man is telling his story after he helped rescue the driver at the site of Monday’s sinkhole collapse in Schenectady.

Nicholas Hurd was just driving home from work early when he passed McClellan Street and Eastern Avenue. He saw the car two in front of him suddenly go tail up.

Hurd immediately pulled over and called 911, he said, when he realized this was not a car crash, but that the car had fallen into the road.

He and a group of people standing nearby are seen on video coming together to rescue the driver from the crumbling road.

Hurd helped hold her driver’s side door, as another person grabbed the driver and lifted her out of the car.

Thankfully, the woman was okay, but taken to Ellis Hospital as a precaution.

“It was surreal, I didn’t really understand at first, like, how did it even happen? Why is there a hole in the ground?” he said. “I’m just glad we got her out safely and that she didn’t get hurt badly.”

Hurd helped let the woman’s job know that she wouldn’t be returning. But he doesn’t think he’s a hero.

“I feel that the real hero is the guy who was physically strong enough to be able to grab her. I’m just glad I was there to help assist,” he said.

In his mind, it could have been him or his wife and two kids in the car.

“My wife drops our son off at camp going that way. It could have been her with our son and daughter, so it’s just a lot going through your mind in that moment, another reason I think it prompted me to take action,” he said.

Hear him talk about what he said was especially scary in retrospect by watching the video of Stella Porter’s story.