Heroic crane driver’s daring rescue: Death-defying stunt saves colleague from £750m tower inferno (video)
A modest crane driver showcased Hollywood-worthy heroics to save a construction worker from the blazing £750 million (30 billion baht) One Station Hill development in Reading, in the United Kingdom.
The astonishing rescue unfolded as smoke and flames threatened a worker’s life, and the crane operator, Glen Edwards, became an unlikely superhero. In a gripping three-minute ordeal captured on film, Edwards manoeuvred with precision, defying the encroaching flames to pluck his colleague from the jaws of death. But Edwards, ever humble, downplayed his actions.
“It’s not been your average day at work.”
Amidst the chaos, Edwards spotted the distressed worker waving his coat for help. Battling intense winds and thick smoke, the 65 year old expertly lowered a cabin onto the burning building’s roof. Cheers erupted as the endangered worker jumped into the safety of the cage and was swiftly winched to the ground, narrowly escaping the engulfing inferno.
“I saw someone waving his coat. I knew the person was at that level. But the wind was blowing the cage about. I was just waiting for the smoke to clear.”
His expert skills averted a potential tragedy, as flames raged and toxic smoke billowed around the daring rescue.
“I would say it was a very close call.”
Dramatic rescue
Hindered by swirling winds, he strategically placed the cage, navigating through the inferno to snatch the builder from imminent danger. The dramatic rescue undoubtedly saved a life, as the inferno’s intensity threatened everyone in its vicinity.
Despite the severity of the fire, only two individuals required hospitalisation for smoke inhalation, including the rescued worker. The 16-storey One Station Hill complex, plagued by a previous fire just five months ago, now stands scorched and warped, a testament to the chaos that unfolded, reported Daily Mail UK.
Eyewitnesses below applauded Edwards’ swift action, with one describing the crane driver as very fast and still in the crane as the building blazed. The heroic act met with a round of applause, resonated with those witnessing the extraordinary rescue amidst the chaos.
Over 50 firefighters battled the blaze, with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service deploying an Aerial Ladder Platform and Incident Command Unit. Miraculously, only two people, including the rescued builder, required treatment for smoke inhalation.
As the investigation into the fire’s cause unfolds, a local builder speculates that the tarmac on the roof ignited. Streets were closed, and people in the vicinity were advised to close windows and doors as thick smoke enveloped the area.
