Paramedic holds driver for 45 minutes in dramatic bridge rescue

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Paramedic holds driver for 45 minutes in dramatic bridge rescue

Published: 29 Nov. 2024, 18:35

Paramedic Park Joon-hyun, top, holds onto a truck driver dangling off the Pungsan Bridge in Andong, North Gyeongsang on Wednesday. [NORTH GYEONGSANG FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS]

A tenacious paramedic saved a driver who was left dangling from an 11-meter-high (36.1-feet-high) bridge for 45 minutes following a car accident on icy roads in North Gyeongsang.

A large trailer skidded on Pungsan Bridge in Andong and collided with the railing, leaving part of the vehicle hanging over the edge, at 9:29 a.m. on Wednesday, the North Gyeongsang Fire Department said Thursday.

The lower half of the driver, a man in his 60s, was left outside the driver’s seat, hanging from the trailer.

Park Joon-hyun, a paramedic with the Pungsan branch of the 119 Safety Center, immediately reached out to grab the driver upon spotting him clinging to the wrecked driver’s seat, with only his upper body inside and the lower half of his body outside the vehicle.

Park held onto the driver with his bare hands for 45 minutes as the driver dangled precariously from the bridge's railing.

The paramedic arrived at the scene lacking proper rescue equipment, in an ambulance rather than a rescue vehicle.

“I didn't have time to think about how to rescue him or how long I would need to hold on,” Park said.

Rescue teams arrived about 15 minutes later, but Park could not hand over the situation to another responder and risk letting the driver fall. He kept hold of the driver’s hand while wrapping his arm in a rope to secure him with the help of other rescuers.

“I tried talking to the driver, but he was too dazed from the shock to respond coherently,” Park said. “I kept reassuring him to prevent sudden movements and helped him stay conscious.”

The truck driver is being hauled into the rescue basket off the bridge on Wednesday. [NORTH GYEONGSANG FIRE SERVICE HEADQUARTERS]

Parts of the trailer fell to the ground during the ordeal. Despite being physically strong at 177 centimeters tall (5 feet, 10 inches) and weighing 95 kilograms (209.4 pounds), Park said he struggled to maintain his grip.

An air mattress was set up on the road below the bridge, and a ladder truck extended its loading basket to the driver. The driver was finally rescued at 10:30 a.m., approximately an hour after the crash. He was covered in blood when transported to the hospital.

More than 20 firefighters from the Andong and Yecheon fire stations and other 119 Safety Centers of North Gyeongsang participated in the rescue operation in addition to Park.

“I didn’t feel the pain while holding onto the driver, but my arms are still stiff from the prolonged effort in the cold weather,” said Park.

The moment Park held onto the driver was shared on social media, gaining widespread attention.

“I'm a shy person, so this attention feels overwhelming,” Park said. “My wife said she proudly showed the video to our 5- and 7-year-old children.”

Park, who started his career on Nov. 20, 2016, called the incident “the most memorable moment of my career,” and said, “It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]