Big rig cab left dangling over Fort Worth highway

[x635 4,066]

Big rig cab left dangling over Fort Worth highway

The Associated Press

March 24, 2011, 6:37AM

FORT WORTH, Texas — Crews worked to free two people trapped in a car after a Fort Worth wreck in which a water tanker truck driver was rescued from his 18-wheeler dangling over an Interstate 20 ramp.

A fire department ladder truck was used in the rescue early Thursday.

FULL ARTICLE AND VIDEO: http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Rescue-drama-on-FW-highway-overpass-118568279.html

[Alpinerunner 61]

Awesome rescue! Any idea why it took 3 hrs? Did they want to get the guy out of the cab before disturbing the trailer during extrication on the car? Or was it just that mangled?

[TXCHIEF 9]

Units first focused on rescuing the driver who was in the cab dangling over the bridge and they repelled from one of the ladders on the scene to get him out first, prior to performing extrication on the persons in the car pinned underneath the water tanker.

[Task Force 7 65]

After securing the cab to the ladder of Quint 17, Fort Worth Fire Rescue TRT crew then rappelled down from the ladder of Quint 17 to remove the truck driver out through the passenger side window. Keep in mind the cab is dangling over the bridge about 100 feet above the ground. Once they got the truck driver out, they brought in two big wreckers to secure the tanker truck so they could begin extrication on the two people in the car. The car was pinned underneath the tanker up against the concrete wall. Rescuers had already made contact with the people in the car who amazingly were both conscious, and alert. The truck was designed to carry water, but the tanker was empty. I know the truck driver was okay. He was very shaken up, but was checked out by MedStar personell and was released at the scene. Both people in the red Honda Accord suffered only minor injuries and were transported to a Fort Worth hospital.

Great job by all the rescuers!!

Edited March 24, 2011 by Task Force 7

[x635 4,066]

Thanks for the info, Pete! That was definetly a unique and interesting job!

What was underneath the bridge?

[Task Force 7 65]

Thanks for the info, Pete! That was definetly a unique and interesting job!

What was underneath the bridge?

Seth,

This is the ramp from westbound I-20 to go onto I-35W. You must proceed up this ramp to go both North, or South on I-35W. This accident occured after where the ramp splits. This is on the ramp to go Southbound toward Waco. directly underneath where the cab is dangling is a grassy hill that leads down to I believe a creek. Just a few feet to the South of that would be the on ramp from Oak Grove Dr. to go West on I-20. The actual lanes of Westbound I-20 were never effected except for onlookers. Nor was this accident at the highest level of the ramp where it goes over both North, and Southbound I-35W. Both Interstates remained open through all of this.

For those of you who may not be familiar with I-35. It runs from Laredo, Texas to Duluth, Minnesota. It splits in Hillsboro, Texas and I-35W (the W stands for West) runs through Fort Worth. I-35E (the E stands for East) runs through Dallas. They come together again in Denton, Texas.

From what I know Engine 17, 28, Quint 17, Rescue 14, Squad 2 (the Hazmat Team), BC-1, and MedStar were on scene. I've also heard reports that the driver of the Honda may have been DWI.

[Task Force 7 65]

The Star-Telegram reports that the driver of the Honda has been arrested and charged with DWI and unlawfully carrying a weapon. The driver has a previous DWI conviction from August 2006. According to the Star_telegram the driver pulled over to the left side of the ramp against the retaining wall, and came to a complete stop. Then he pulled out into the path of the tanker truck and was hit. The impact has left a 13 foot hole in the retaining wall. TxDot will close down the ramp Sunday to repair the wall.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/24/2948738/firefighters-rescue-truck-driver.html#storylink=omni_popular