'Tremendously lucky': Woman rescued from truck hanging from Clark Memorial Bridge

A woman was rescued from a tractor trailer after being involved in a four-vehicle accident that left the truck dangling precariously from the Clark Memorial Bridge Friday.

Louisville Fire Chief Brian O'Neill said the woman was rescued from the cabin at 12:45 p.m., about 40 minutes after the collision occurred.

Two other people involved in the accident have been transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Aaron Ellis said in a statement.

The bridge, which connects Kentucky and Southern Indiana, remains closed to traffic while LMPD and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet assess damage and clear the scene. Drivers are advised to avoid the area.

The bridge is unlikely to reopen before Saturday morning, Ellis said.

More: Clark Memorial Bridge inspection underway Saturday after truck crash, rescue operation

'It's tremendously lucky that it didn't go over'

Officials have not yet determined the cause of the accident, but O'Neill said the rescued driver was "extremely lucky" her truck did not fall into the river.

"The position that it's in ... it's tremendously lucky that it didn't go over," he said.

The chief said Louisville's rescue team trains regularly to respond to various situations, practicing rescues from bridges, high-rises and other points. However, putting the training to use is "extremely unique."

"This is a once-in-a-career type of thing," he said.

Firefighter Bryce Carden, 29, was responsible for getting a harness to the trailer's driver and lifting her to safety.

O'Neill called Carden "one of the nicest, happiest guys that you'll ever want to meet in your life. And he is the exact right person to put down there to try to keep the patient calm and very cool and collected, to understand that she's in safe hands."

O'Neill also applauded the driver, who he said "held it together like a champ." Firefighters were able to speak with the driver through an open window while preparing equipment for the rescue, and O'Neill said she remained calm until she reached the ground.

"She was just praying. She was praying a lot, and I prayed with her," Carden said.

'A true difference'

During a separate Friday afternoon news conference, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said he had been speaking with the firefighters of Rescue Team 2 about what resources and support they needed from the city to do their work earlier in the morning.

"Little did any of us in that room know that just a few hours later, the same people who were in that room talking about the future of our city would be undertaking an amazing and successful rescue," he said.

Greenberg thanked Carden and Rescue Team 2 for their service, saying their bravery and dedication serves as an inspiration.

"All of us in Louisville owe everyone — all of our first responders — a giant debt of gratitude for their work," he said. "Their life-saving work made a true difference. ... The world got to see it today."

James Ballinger, state highway engineer for the transportation cabinet, said specialized equipment would need to be brought in to inspect the bridge before a determination can be made on when it can reopen.

Officials encouraged drivers to use alternate routes, including northbound Interstate 65 to the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, to cross to and from southern Indiana.

Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at bloosemore@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4646 or on Twitter @bloosemore.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Second Street Bridge accident: Woman rescued from truck, 1 driver hurt