LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There was no shortage of heroes on the Clark Memorial Bridge Friday afternoon, but one member of Louisville Fire stood out from the rest following a major crash.
Shortly after noon, a Sysco semi truck was involved in a three-vehicle crash on the bridge in Louisville that connects Kentucky and Indiana. The truck ended up hanging off the edge of the bridge with the cab dangling almost 100 feet over the Ohio River.
Louisville Fire arrived three minutes later and began orchestrating a plan to rescue the female driver still inside.
The plan? Firefighter Bryce Carden would repel from the bridge and bring the driver to safety.
"We've done some crazy things, but this tops it all," Carden said during a news conference. "It all goes back to training. We've done this probably a hundred times. Once I reached her she was super calm and collected, and allowed us to do what we do."
Carden is a Jefferson County Public Schools graduate has been with the department six years. He said the adrenaline didn't kick in until after he pulled the driver to safety.
"In the moment, you don't really think about it," he said. "Your training takes over. Everything slows down and you concentrate on what needs to be done."
Fire Chief Brian O'Neill said 30 members of Louisville Fire responded to the scene, along with members of EMS and Louisville Metro police. He said the woman, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital, but appeared to be OK.
Full news conference below
He said it took about 40 minutes to set up a rope system, which was attached to a crane-like structure on the bridge. Firefighters were able to see and communicate with the woman throughout the process.
Carden had to cut the driver out of her seatbelt and get her into a harness before being raised back up.
"She was praying a lot and I prayed with her," Carden said.
Carden is a member of the Louisville Fire Rescue Company. They often train for similar events on bridges and high-rise buildings.
O'Neill said Friday's incident was a worst-case scenario.
"It was a constant concern that truck could shift at any moment," O'Neill said. "It's extremely lucky that the entire truck didn't go into the river."
O'Neill said the woman - a military veteran - deserves a lot of credit for remaining calm throughout the situation.
"She handled it like a champ," he said. "As soon as she hit the ground, she let her emotions go. She's a very brave woman. Here she is dangling over the edge. But think about having to hook her up and get her into the harness. If you have someone who panics, it can be dangerous. But she was a champ."
Officials said the bridge will be closed for at least the rest of Friday. Two other people involved in the crash were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
O'Neill said the rescue was a total team effort.
"We are willing to risk a lot to save a lot," he said. "These men and women make me so proud. When I was standing on that bridge watching what they were doing, my phone was blowing up with people talking about it."