LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville firefighters who rescued a trapped semi driver as the rig dangled from the 2nd Street Bridge were recognized by the state's highest ranking official for their heroism.
The dramatic rescue on March 1 was shown on live TV and received nationwide attention.
The semi crashed through the barriers after a collision involving several vehicles.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear attended a recognition ceremony Friday morning at Louisville Fire headquarters in downtown Louisville. His visit came days after local leaders attended another ceremony where all 42 names of the firefighters who took part in the rescue were read aloud. And a legislative citation saying their actions were miraculous was entered into the official record.
During Friday's visit, the governor recognized their bravery with the state's highest title of honor.
"I'm here to say thank you," Beshear said. "Thank you for what the men and women that are gathered here today do day in and day out. And last month, not only did we see something incredible, the entire country saw the skill, the bravery and the coordination of what our first responders do when a semi truck was dangling off the 2nd Street Bridge between here and Indiana for at least 45 minutes. It was a life-saving mission....
"And that's why I'm naming everyone that was involved in this operation a Kentucky Colonel."
The northbound lanes of the bridge carrying traffic from Indiana to Louisville have been closed since March 7, when crews began repairing the damage caused by the crash. Those repairs are expected to be complete on April 12.
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