LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A bridge connecting Kentucky and Indiana remained closed Saturday after a harrowing crash and the rescue of a truck driver left hanging over the edge of the bridge.
Dramatic photos and video captured Friday the rescue of the driver in her taxi over the side of the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge connecting Louisville, Kentucky, to southern Indiana.
The truck driver was rescued unharmed, but according to Louisville Metro Police, three other cars were involved in the crash and two people were taken to the hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.
Police had no updates on their conditions Saturday.
The truck was removed from the bridge on Friday around 8 p.m. The cause of the crash was still under investigation.
The bridge carries approximately 24,000 vehicles across the Ohio River every day. Officials said at a news conference Friday that the bridge is safe and passed an inspection last year, but acknowledged that the four lanes are relatively narrow.
The accident was reported shortly after noon on Friday. Then it took about 40 minutes to set up a rope system and get a firefighter, Bryce Carden, ready to descend to the cab, hook the driver to a safety harness and lift her safely back to the bridge surface, Louisville Fire. Chief Brian O’Neill said this at a news conference on Friday. She was taken to hospital as a precaution.
In a social media post Friday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg thanked “Carden and the other first responders who responded to the scene today and bravely rescued the truck driver on the Clark Memorial Bridge. She is alive thanks to your heroic efforts.”
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said engineers were conducting assessments and inspections of the bridge Saturday morning.
