Firefighters Rush To Pull Man's Body from Car Pinned by Tanker, Miracle When He Emerges Unharmed
Portland firefighters rescued a driver trapped inside an SUV after an oil tanker slid into the side of the vehicle on an icy overpass.
Drivers in the Pacific Northwest may be used to cold and gloomy weather, but many are unaccustomed to driving in ice and snow.
As freezing nights leave Oregon roads vulnerable to ice, drivers are learning just how precarious an everyday commute can be.
On Feb. 9, a Love’s fuel truck was driving on the wintry roads when it slid on an icy, narrow overpass, WOAI-TV reported.
An SUV was in the tanker’s path, unable to escape from the fuel truck’s out-of-control skidding.
The tanker, which has the capacity to hold roughly 9,000 gallons of fuel, slammed into the side of the SUV, trapping the vehicle firmly against the concrete wall.
Portland firefighters approached the SUV on the slick road, high above the ground, to try and rescue the driver.
Fire Lt. Mike Warren said the original plan was to remove the front windshield from the SUV, but ice on the vehicle’s hood made the job too risky.
In the end, firefighters opted to help the man escape through the driver’s side window.
For two hours Saturday, a driver was stuck inside his vehicle, waiting to get out after a crash:https://t.co/fJbFFZG93R
— KATU News (@KATUNews) February 11, 2019
Aerial footage showed the dramatic moment the driver, who had been trapped for two hours, emerged from the window.
The driver had to walk along a narrow concrete ledge, high above the ground, before hopping down onto the road.
The man was able to walk away uninjured while the overpass remained closed until the fuel tanker was off the road.
Portland firefighters, as well as other public service crews, have been working nonstop to keep residents safe during the unusual winter storm.
Portland Bureau of Transportation crews have been dedicated to keeping the roads clear and residents safe.
“Our crews work in 12-hour shifts, day and night, during a storm,” the organization wrote on Facebook. “We can’t thank them enough for the work they do.”
Portland Fire & Rescue is reminding drivers that thinking and braking distance increases as the weather worsens.
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