In Reading, England, a crane operator successfully rescued a man trapped on the roof of a burning high-rise building. Glen Edwards, who described the day as anything but ordinary, downplayed the dramatic nature of the rescue.
On that windy day, Edwards was operating a metal cage designed for workers on building facades when he noticed a man waving his coat from the roof. Despite the chaotic conditions—strong winds and thick smoke from the cladding of the Station Hill development—Edwards knew he had to act fast to save a soul. In an attempt to assist and with the help of his boss with whom he communicated with on the radio, he received directions to lower the cage as close to the building as possible.
The situation was precarious, with the wind threatening to shift the cage and potentially expose the stranded man to lethal smoke inhalation. Edwards skillfully maneuvered the cage, managing to position it near the man, who then climbed in to cheers from the crowd below.
“It was a very close call,” Edwards later remarked, reflecting on the swirling winds and the urgency of the moment. He emphasized his focus on getting the cage down safely, despite the challenges posed by the environment.
Both men rescued from the building were subsequently treated for smoke inhalation, but fortunately, their injuries were not severe. The fire, which required the efforts of over 50 firefighters, was eventually extinguished.