Dad, son rescue driver after 18-wheeler hauling logs flips in Caldwell County

CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — A father and son rescued a driver Friday after his log truck flipped, spilling its load -- and it was all caught on video.

The logs fell across Highway 321 in Caldwell County around 10:30 a.m. near Kirby Mountain Road. The 18-wheeler also spilled diesel across the four-lane road, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Channel 9′s Dave Faherty learned the driver was not hurt and was actually helped out of the cab by another driver.

The truck driver said his brakes went out while coming down the mountainside. He was heading north when it happened, and he crossed into the southbound lanes when the tractor-trailer overturned.

‘Get out, get out!’

Witnesses said they could see smoke coming from the brakes moments before the truck crashed. Several drivers ran to help after they started seeing flames.

Before first responders arrived, Jonathan and Greg Hernandez spotted the crash and ran to help. In a video, you can hear Jonathan yell, “get out, get out!” while his father, Greg, got underneath the door. The two men said they could see fire and diesel fuel coming out of the truck.

The driver of the 18-wheeler tumbled out of the cab, falling into the arms of Greg below. Faherty spoke with Jonathan about what happened.

“When my father went to the side where the driver was, at first, I noticed fire toward the motor and I seen the gas leaking,” he said. “I’m glad we were there to help, you know, especially helping another person.”

A truck driver who saw the crash grabbed his fire extinguisher to help, too.

“He was trying to stay on our side of the road and he just flipped, and he skid,” John Corless said. “And how the truck’s looking, I really thought he was going to pass.”

The road was closed in both directions and wasn’t expected to reopen until 1:30 p.m. Friday. An environmental cleanup team was working to clear the diesel spill.

The driver of the truck told Faherty he was shaken by what happened.

(WATCH BELOW: Two hurt in crash in southwest Charlotte, MEDIC says)

Two hurt in crash in southwest Charlotte, MEDIC says

©2023 Cox Media Group