Driver rescued after crashed semi dangles off Louisville bridge: "She was praying"

Louisville firefighters made a dramatic rescue of a driver on Friday after her semi-truck crashed off the side of Clark Memorial Bridge. 

A dramatic rescue from @loukyfire of a truck driver from the cab of this dangling semi on the Clark Memorial Bridge in Louisville. View from WLKY NEWSCHOPPER. @WLKY pic.twitter.com/ySxEXsHC4c

— Scott Eckhardt (@S_EckhardtTV) March 1, 2024

The multi-vehicle crash happened shortly after noon, CBS affiliate WLKY reported. The Louisville Metro Police Department said that two passenger vehicles, a pickup truck, and a commercial semi-tractor trailer were involved in the crash. Two patients from one of the vehicles involved in this collision were transported to the hospital with injuries that were serious and appeared to be life-threatening, police said.

Both sides of the bridge were closed as firefighters and EMS workers cordoned off the areas to set up the rescue. Firefighters used an aerial ladder and rigged up a pulley system and a safety rope for the driver. Images from the scene show rescuers pulling the trapped driver to safety from the dangling Sysco semi-cab.

Louisville Fire Chief Brian O'Neill said there were about 30 firefighters on the scene along with EMS workers and rescuers to assist with the driver, and first responders "were able to talk to her once we got to the bridge. We could see her. We could talk to her."

Once the ropes were in place, Louisville firefighter Bryce Carden, who said during a news conference that he had trained for these rescues "more than 100 times," was lowered over the side of the bridge towards the dangling semi-cab, adding that he "trusted the guys on the top side," and things slowed down as he went over. He said he knew the movements and it felt good to put his training "into action."

Carden said as he reached the driver, whose identity has not been released, "she was praying, she was praying a lot and I prayed with her – so that was good." He said she kept thanking God and Carden told her to "take a deep breath" because he needed her to assist him in getting into the rescue harness. 

The rope system then pulled Carden and the driver up the side of the bridge to safety. Video footage shows the pair swinging in the air as they were slowly pulled out of the cab toward the bridge. They were safely back on the bridge at 12:45 p.m. The driver is in stable condition but was transported to the local hospital, said O'Neill.

"These were some serious heroes today," he said.

In:
• Louisville
• Semi Truck

Cara Tabachnick

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor and journalist at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at cara.tabachnick@cbsinteractive.com