A truck driver in Louisville, Kentucky, was miraculously rescued after her vehicle crashed through a bridge barrier and dangled dramatically over the edge. Thankfully, she emerged from the incident unharmed, as seen in videos capturing the dramatic rescue by firefighters who descended to pull her to safety.
Now, the focus shifts to removing the hanging truck from its position over the Ohio River. While the cause of the accident remains under investigation, the bridge closure is expected to last for a significant amount of time. Police confirmed the incident as a "motor vehicle collision" and announced the bridge closure "for some time." Firefighters clarified that the driver was secured with ropes and ladders and brought back onto the bridge within 45 minutes, with no one ever entering the water below, BBC reported.
Watch the video here:
"She held it together like a champ," Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O'Neill said in a news conference, describing the woman as very calm throughout her ordeal.
"But I will say, the second she hit solid ground she was able to let those emotions go and just have that relief. It's a pretty impressive thing."
Mr O'Neill added that it was "extremely lucky" that the vehicle never plunged into the water, roughly 75ft (23 meters) below.
Firefighter Bryce Carden who brought the woman to safety said that his training prepared him for the encounter. He told reporters, "We've certainly done some crazy things but this tops it so far".
Police urged the commuters to stay away from the scene.
The city's mayor Craig Greenberg praised the people who swiftly responded, "Your bravery is unmatched and we're grateful for your lifesaving work."
Sysco, the company that owns the truck, released a statement saying it was "enormously grateful to rescue services and law enforcement who quickly and safely resolved the accident".
"We are thankful our Sysco colleague is safe and thank the first responders for their courageous efforts rescuing our driver.
"Safety is a priority at Sysco, and we are cooperating with the law enforcement investigation."
