Dog, Two People Rescued From LA River After Rainfall

LOS ANGELES, CA — After a two hour rescue effort, crews on Monday were able to rescue a dog from the fast moving Los Angeles River after saving a woman and a man who later jumped in to retrieve the dog, fire officials said.

The man suffered unknown injuries after he lost grip of the dog and was pulled out of the water near Studio City, according to live footage from NBC Los Angeles.

The rescue operation was launched at 2:40 p.m. when fire crews set up multiple rescue points to hoist a woman and her dog from the fast moving waters. Crews from the Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department were able to rescue the woman but the dog was carried down the river by the rapid stream.

Waters were moving between 5 and 10 mph after heavy rainfall on Monday morning, according to fire officials. A man jumped into the water and attempted to hold onto the dog as they both were swept away.

"Unfortunately, during this time a bystander entered the water. He was able to grab the dog and they then were swept downstream," the Los Angeles Fire Department wrote in a statement.

The man was able to grab hold of a rope sent over the side of the river by other bystanders, but he was no longer able to hold the dog, LAFD said.

Swaths of Angelenos stood and watched on both sides of the river for miles as the dog waded through the water. The frightened dog reportedly bit several people who attempted to save it, according to live footage from NBC Los Angeles.