The Emergency Response Center received a call at 1:50 p.m. that in Suuresta village, Rae municipality, a truck with a dump trailer had driven through the guardrail of the Vaida overpass and fallen onto the highway below.

Initially, traffic was closed in the direction of Tallinn, but later also in the direction of Tartu, as the damaged guardrail was hanging dangerously over the road. A detour was set up via Vaida.

As a result of the accident, the driver was trapped in the cab. Around 4 p.m., rescue workers extricated the victim from the vehicle, and the driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance. The driver is conscious and responsive.

As of 6:30 p.m., the road heading from Tallinn to Tartu was reopened, with both lanes accessible to traffic.

The rescue operation concluded at 7:27 p.m. The guardrail hanging over the highway was removed and a temporary concrete barrier will be installed on the overpass.

The damaged truck has been towed, and the highway is fully open to traffic again.

The incident was responded to by professional rescue teams from Jüri, Kose, and Kesklinn, along with Saue's volunteer firefighters, ambulance, and police.

Rescue workers remind the public that roads become extremely slippery when temperatures fall below freezing.

This article was updated.

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