A group of citizens is being credited with rescuing a driver whose car had slid into the Rock River today.

Rockford fire personnel responded at 2:30 p.m. today for the report of an occupied car in the river at 200 Prairie Street. Upon their arrival, fire crews found that a group of citizens had watched the car slide down the boat ramp and off the edge of the ice shelf.

The citizens reacted by grabbing the safety rope and flotation ring that was near the dock. They then proceeded onto the ice and removed the occupant from the vehicle and the river, and then pulled him across the ice to shore.

Fire crew divers searched the car for additional occupants and found none.

Rockford paramedics transported the victim to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Eventually, the car became completely submerged in the river and was not able to be retrieved, according to District Chief Jeff Althoff.

No fire personnel or citizen rescuers were injured in the incident.