Driver trapped for hours in I-85 truck crash loses leg, officials say

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Crews worked overnight to remove a tractor-trailer that crashed down an embankment on Interstate 85 Thursday afternoon in Belmont.

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Around 4 a.m., all the northbound lanes were reopened after the trailer and cab were removed from the side of the interstate -- 14 hours after the crash.

[ IMAGES: Tractor-trailer crashes down embankment off I-85 ]

Workers shut down three of the four northbound lanes around 1:15 a.m. and were able to pull the trailer portion of the truck up to the interstate.

Shortly before 3 a.m. they towed the trailer portion away and began working to retrieve the cab, which they were able to remove around 3:30 a.m.

Cones were added along the side of the interstate in place of the guardrail, and crews returned later Friday morning to repair it.

The big-rig crashed Thursday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. off the side of I-85 and flipped on its side down an embankment.

Chopper 9 flew over the scene, where firefighters worked for several hours to free the driver. The driver's name has not been released.

On Friday officials told Channel 9 that the driver has lost one of his legs.

[ LINK: Watch Chopper 9 video of the rescue here. ]

Firefighters used ropes to get down to the driver because of how steep the embankment was.

The rescue effort went on for about four hours and a tow truck was brought in to stabilize the 18-wheeler.

Firefighters were exposed to poison oak during the rescue and had to be decontaminated.

I-85 northbound was shut down near Beaty Road, causing a 12-mile backup from the crash, officials said.

After removing the driver from the cab, he was flown to Carolinas Medical Center.

The northbound lanes of I-85 reopened early Thursday evening before briefly closing again as workers removed the big-rig from the embankment.

There was no word yet on what caused the wreck.

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