Elm Mott I-35 Truck Left Hanging Over Bridge, Driver Rescued

What happened

An 18-wheeler was left hanging over an I-35 bridge in Elm Mott, Texas, on Saturday morning, Oct. 3. Elm Mott sits just north of Waco. The tractor ended up suspended over the guardrail on the southbound I-35 overpass. The driver was still inside the cab.

Waco Fire got the call around 7:30 a.m. and arrived shortly after 7:40. The scene was near FM 308 and FM 933. The way the tractor was hanging made the rescue hard. Crews called in the Waco Technical Rescue team and the Waco Hazmat Response Team, the crew that handles spills.

The driver was not pinned or trapped. Rescuers first secured the truck. Then they got in through the passenger side. They helped the driver into the basket of a fire ladder and moved the driver over the guardrail to paramedics. KWTX reported the driver was checked and refused a ride to the hospital. KXXV reported no injuries and said it took about an hour to get the driver out.

One saddle tank, the fuel tank on the side of the tractor, broke loose and fell onto FM 308 below the overpass. It ruptured and spilled about 40 gallons of diesel. The hazmat team contained most of it. The truck was towed around 10:15 a.m. Southbound traffic was delayed. The cause has not been released.

What it means for owner-operators

This driver walked away. But a crash on a bridge or overpass is one of the most dangerous a trucker can have. When a cab is hanging, one wrong move can make things worse.

It is also one of the most expensive. It is not only the tractor and the load. There is the heavy tow, the diesel cleanup, the rescue and the hours of blocked highway. Many of those bills can land on the truck owner if the truck is found at fault.

Overpasses like this one are all along I-35 and on highways across the US. What you do in the first minutes matters.

What to do next

• If your truck stops in an unstable spot, do not make sudden moves. Moving around can shift the truck. Keep your seat belt on if it is safe.
• Call 911 and give your exact location. Say the highway, the direction and the nearest exit or farm road.
• Shut off the engine if you can do it safely. That lowers the fire risk if fuel is leaking.
• Do not climb out on the side over the drop. Wait for rescuers to secure the truck and tell you how to get out.
• Stay away from spilled diesel once you are out, and tell firefighters if a tank broke.
• Take photos and call your insurance as soon as you are safe.
• Prevent it: always buckle up, slow down on bridges and never drive tired.

Before anything happens, learn how liability and physical damage work in our guide, trucking insurance coverage explained.

Questions about your truck insurance? Call or text TCZ Insurance Agency at 956-526-6727.