Firefighter Bryce Carden from Kentucky saved a tractor-trailer driver from a trailer dangling precariously over the Ohio River.
The rescue operation was successful due to the collaborative efforts of the topside and bottom teams, with Carden commending their work. The truck driver was uninjured; however, three other vehicles were involved in the collision.
A southbound vehicle collided with a stalled car, crossed into northbound traffic, and hit the tractor-trailer. The trailer came to rest within the bridge’s girders, perched on the edge with the cab extending over the water.
The Louisville fire chief, Brian O’Neill, clarified that while the entire truck did not separate from the trailer, it also did not fully submerge in the river.
Carden spent approximately 40 minutes establishing a rope system and hoisting the driver back to the bridge surface safely. The bridge has been reopened for traffic following an inspection, but repairs are necessary, especially for the pedestrian sidewalk.