COLUMBIA, S.C. -- A driver ended up in the hospital with significant injuries, after investigators say their SUV hit a guardrail and flew off an I-126 bridge, before crashing into the Broad River Wednesday afternoon.

I-126 westbound just past Huger Street and Elmwood Avenue was closed Wednesday for about an hour, as rescue crews from the Columbia-Richland Fire Dept. worked to free the driver after their Toyota FJ Cruiser crashed and burst into flames.

In addition to battling flames from the SUV, first responders were forced to repel down into the river to rescue the driver.

Columbia-Richland Fire Captain Chris Byrd said it was truly a team response.

"We had Ladder Seven there and they ended up repelling down with some equipment to help assist the guys who were already down there working on the entrapment. We took (the driver) down the riverwalk. EMS actually drove the ambulance straight towards (the scene)," Byrd said.

Wednesday afternoon, crews worked to remove the SUV from the river, leaving behind a trail of broken parts.

Byrd said the rescue is all in a day's work for the department and that crews train continuously for just this kind of emergency.

"So with Rescue One and the other support companies, the ladders and the other rescues, we do train pretty regularly, once or twice a week," he said.

News19 has reached out to both Columbia-Richland Fire Department. and the Columbia Police Department for an update on the driver but have not yet received a response.