Driver Trapped in Tractor-Trailer Rollover on I-79 in Bridgeport
A Saturday afternoon tractor trailer rollover on Interstate 79 southbound in Bridgeport trapped a male driver, shut down local traffic lanes, and required an emergency medical helicopter transport, according to local authorities. The single-vehicle crash occurred just before 3 p.m. near mile marker 125, prompting a coordinated response from multiple county and municipal agencies.
Firefighters Use Specialized Equipment to Rescue Entrapped Driver
The Bridgeport Fire Department arrived at the I-79 South scene to find a heavily damaged tractor trailer carrying a load of sand resting just off the asphalt. Bridgeport Fire Chief Greg Pigg stated that the male driver was heavily entrapped within the cab. The specific resting position of the commercial vehicle created an atypical and highly complex rescue scenario that required specialized stabilization equipment.
Fire personnel deployed vehicle stabilization struts upon arrival. To ensure the safety of the rescue operation during the extraction process, responders called in Nicholson’s Towing to provide heavy-duty tow trucks. Pigg noted that the heavy towing equipment provided the precise stability needed to safely proceed with extricating the trapped operator.
The extrication process lasted approximately 45 minutes or slightly longer from the time emergency personnel arrived on the scene. Once free, the driver was transferred to HealthNet for an emergency flight to Ruby Memorial Hospital. Pigg indicated that HealthNet flight deployments typically signal serious injuries, though the exact condition of the driver remained unconfirmed immediately following the transport.
Diverging Outlet Reports Detail Emergency Response and Traffic Disruption
Connect Bridgeport emphasized the technical complexities of the vehicle’s final resting position and the collaborative heavy equipment support utilized during the extrication. Meanwhile, WBOY reported that the Harrison County 911 log confirmed the total shutdown of Interstate 79 southbound lanes as emergency responders managed the wreckage and significant traffic backups.
Additional responders at the scene included the Bridgeport Police Department, Bridgeport Emergency Medical Services, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia Division of Highways. Images captured by news personnel at the location showed the commercial vehicle lying on its side off the roadway with severe structural damage.
Clearing Hazardous Material and Restoring Interstate Traffic Flow
Clearing the accident site involved removing both the physical wreckage of the commercial tractor trailer and a substantial spilled load of sand that covered portions of the roadway and surrounding area. The West Virginia 511 system tracked significant delays and slow-moving congestion in the immediate vicinity of mile marker 125 while cleanup crews worked through the afternoon.
Official statements from municipal authorities have not yet detailed the underlying cause of the rollover accident, nor have hospital representatives released an updated condition report regarding the hospitalized driver.