First responders in Kentucky pulled off a perilous rescue after a three-vehicle accident on the Clark Memorial Bridge left a semi-truck dangling over the Ohio River.
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According to Fire Chief Brian O’Neill, the terrifying incident happened around noon on Friday, March 1st. A Sysco truck was crossing the bridge when it drifted across the lanes and plowed through the metal barrier, causing two oncoming vehicles to collide.
The truck and nearly the entire trailer passed over the side. Only a small section remained on the bridge—with just enough balance to keep it from plummeting.
One person, a female driver, remained in the cabin. To reach her, Firefighter Bryce Carden rappelled from a crane, carefully secured her to himself and his line, and carried her to safe ground. You can watch the jaw-dropping footage below.
Crews were racing the clock as they worked to pull the driver from the wreckage. O’Neill said they were worried that a slight shift would send the truck into the river, so there was no time to waste.
The Heroic Firefighter Was Racing the Clock
Bryce said both he and the victim were “super calm” during the rescue. But once the adrenaline faded, the reality of what happened hit hard.
“She was just praying. She was praying a lot,” Bryce said. “And I was praying with her. “At the moment, you don’t think about it, after the debrief, it hits you. At the run, the training takes over.”
“She held it together amazingly,” said the fire chief. “She held it together like a champ, but I will tell you once she hit solid ground, she let those emotions go.”
The rescue went off without a hitch, and the truck driver did not suffer any serious injuries, but one of the other people involved in the Kentucky bridge accident was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to CBS affiliate WLKY.
Crews were able to pull the semi-truck from the side of the Clark Memorial Bridge by around 7 PM that night. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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