Video captures risky rescue of driver following truck plunging off bridge

In West Virginia, a driver was rescued from a truck precariously hanging off a bridge during snowfall after being trapped for almost five hours. Video footage from Southside, roughly 40 miles north of Charleston, shows a rescue officer secured with a harness extracting the man through the trucks window while a team on the bridge lifted them both to safety.

The dramatic rescue was filmed by Vickie Flora, who reported the driver was safely removed around 10:30 a.m., with no injuries sustained.

Mason County authorities said the incident took place at 6:25 a.m. on December 2 on Route 35, where a tractor-trailer went over the bridge. The Hurricane Fire Department found the trucks cab suspended approximately 80-100 feet above the ground. A specialized rope rescue team, along with other personnel, coordinated the challenging operation to free the driver after nearly five hours.

The volunteer firefighter involved in the extraction was identified as Westley Quinn. More than 20 first responders participated in the highly risky technical rescue.

Local reports indicated that the truck, which was transporting bricks during a winter storm, lost control, collided with a concrete barrier, and slid off the bridge. The heavy cargo is believed to have prevented the truck from completely falling to the road below.

Author: Chloe Ramirez