Daring rescue saves truck driver after plunging off West Virginia overpass in winter storm
Mason County technical rescue teams were able to reach the driver hanging about 100 feet off the ground after he lost control and went over the edge of an overpass during snow and icy conditions.
Dramatic video shows the moment emergency crews rescued a truck driver from a cab dangling off a bridge in snowy weather on Dec. 2.
West Virginia first responders conducted a daring rescue Tuesday after the cab of a semi-truck slid off the side of a highway overpass during a winter storm.
Multiple agencies in Mason County, about 45 minutes northwest of Charleston, responded around 8 a.m. EST after a commercial tractor-trailer went over the side of U.S. Route 35, leaving the cab hanging over the bridge wall with the driver still inside.
Technical rescue teams in Mason County, West Virginia work to free a driver from a truck hanging off an overpass on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, during a winter storm. (Image credit: Saint Albans, West Virginia Fire Department)
Officials said the driver lost control on slick roads as snow and ice from this week’s winter storm created hazardous travel conditions, sending the cab over the edge of the overpass.
Photos shared by the Saint Albans Fire Department show the extensive effort required to safely reach the driver, whose cab was suspended roughly 100 feet above the pavement below.
A technical rescue team used ropes and an aerial tower from the Winfield Fire and Rescue Department to access the cab, secure the driver and bring him safely back up to the roadway.
Officials said the driver was not injured.
Technical rescue teams in Mason County, West Virginia work to free a driver from a truck hanging off an overpass on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, during a winter storm. (Image credit: Saint Albans, West Virginia Fire Department)
The semi-trailer crash was one of dozens reported across West Virginia, where up to 5 inches of snow had fallen by Tuesday morning.
AccuWeather meteorologists are tracking another winter weather setup fueled by the polar vortex set to bring more cold and snow to those in the central United States and Northeast.
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