A semi truck crash in Cincinnati turned into a dramatic rescue after the truck smashed through a concrete barrier and was left dangling nearly 50 feet above Interstate 71 with two people still trapped inside the cab.
According to WLWT the crash happened on August 30, on the Martin Luther King Drive overpass above I-71 in Cincinnati’s Avondale neighborhood. The truck entered the exit ramp and continued through an intersection before crashing into the concrete barrier. Traffic camera footage captured the terrifying moment the semi went through the intersection and slammed into the wall.
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The truck driver told officials that he had been experiencing brake trouble before the crash. He said he was traveling toward the exit when the brakes completely gave out on the ramp. The truck continued forward, smashed through the concrete barrier and came to rest with the cab hanging over the edge of the overpass. The semi was carrying approximately 200 gallons of diesel fuel, and fuel spilled onto the interstate below following the crash.
While the front of the truck suspended high above I-71, two people were trapped inside the cab. Cincinnati firefighters faced the difficult task of getting both out without causing the truck to shift. Firefighters secured the occupants with harnesses anchored to the bridge. Members of Cincinnati Heavy Rescue 14, a specialized rescue unit equipped for unusually difficult emergencies, were also called to the scene. Both occupants were successfully removed from the truck, and taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. threatening.
Once everyone was safely out, crews still had another major problem on their hands: getting the semi off the edge of the bridge. Crews secured the truck with chains before eventually pulling it back onto Martin Luther King Drive. The semi was removed roughly two and a half hours after the crash. Cleanup crews also had to deal with the diesel spill, including fuel that entered sewer drains, while the Ohio Department of Transportation inspected the bridge for damage.
The crash forced several nearby ramps and lanes to close while emergency crews worked at the scene. Most of the affected roads and ramps reopened in time for Monday morning traffic, although one eastbound lane of MLK Drive remained closed while repairs continued.
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