Brother grateful after sibling rescued from tow truck dangling off McKinney bridge
A North Texas man says he's grateful after his brother survived a terrifying accident that left his tow truck dangling high above traffic on Wednesday afternoon.
Oscar Vazquez said he was shocked when he learned that his older brother, Martin Vazquez, was the driver trapped inside the truck hanging off the side of the Sam Rayburn Tollway bridge in McKinney.
"Then I got a call. Hey, it might be a little bit worse than we thought. He's actually hanging off a bridge," Oscar Vazquez said.
Driver swerved to avoid crash
McKinney Fire Department officials said Martin tried to swerve to avoid a crash in the westbound lanes but lost control, slamming into the bridge over Hardin Boulevard.
"I was like in shock… my mind just went blank," Oscar said.
Firefighters pull driver to safety
Fire crews rushed to the scene, using ladders and rescue gear to reach the cab dangling above the street below. Within about 15 minutes, firefighters safely pulled Martin to safety.
"You don't have any answers. What they do is pray and hope for the best, to stay positive," Oscar said.
Driver escapes with minor injury
Oscar said his brother walked away with only a small scratch — and a big reminder of how lucky he is to be alive.
"He's like, it's a miracle that I'm here. The only thing between me and the road was a piece of glass," Oscar said.
Firefighters say rescue was rare
McKinney firefighter Luis Aguilar said rescues like this are rare but something they train for.
"This is one of those movie-like moments. They don't come often," Aguilar said. "Any wrong movement can be detrimental to one of our guys' lives — or even his."
Cleanup and repairs underway
The fire department said crews are now focused on cleaning up diesel fuel and debris that spilled onto the underpass and repairing damage to the bridge. Traffic on the westbound side of the tollway may be affected overnight into Thursday morning.
Family plans meaningful birthday celebration
Martin's birthday is Friday — a celebration his family says will be especially meaningful this year.
"It's a miracle. That'll be the easy way to put it," Oscar said.