A worker trapped by an inferno on a unfinished high-rise building was rescued by a crane on Thursday in southeastern England, a video showed.
The workman could be seen trying to get into a white cage lowered toward him from the crane, but the fire prevented him at least once as it billowed toward him, the video posted on Twitter showed. Firefighters could be seen battling the inferno with water hoses from within the building while other emergency responders stood on the street below with a crowd of concerned bystanders.
The wind appeared to momentarily direct the billowing fire away from the workman, and he seized the moment by climbing into the cage and sliding the door shut. The fire then appeared to blow back in the workman’s general direction, but the crane could be seen lifting the workman away to safety as people in the street below cheered, per the video.
The incident occurred at the Station Hill development site in Reading, Berkshire County, the Guardian reported. Over 50 firefighters from fire stations across the county responded to the fire at 11:38 a.m. local time, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) said in a statement. (RELATED: Videos Show Fire Erupting On Iconic City Boardwalk)
Fire in Reading. Rescue of trapped person. pic.twitter.com/DAivXldypy
— Chris Lauder (@ChrLauder) November 23, 2023
“We’ve taken two people to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for further assessment and treatment for smoke inhalation, neither of whom were severe cases,” the South Central Ambulance Service said in a statement.
No deaths were reported, and the fire was extinguished by 2:40 pm local time, the RBFRS noted.
The £750 million (about $940 million) Station Hill development site — expected to provide office space, retail shops, more than 1,000 new homes and two acres of outdoor space — suffered a previous fire outbreak back in July which was quickly contained, local news outlet Berkshire Live noted.