A builder was on the verge of being consumed by flames when a crane driver pulled him off the roof of the burning Reading building.
Glen Edwards saved his colleague, who was near death, by performing a Hollywood style rescue. He moved a cage in smoke and fire to save him.
The footage of Mr Edwards (65) demonstrating his skills as a builder shows him alone, stranded on the top of One Station Hill, a new office building near Reading Station. His feet are engulfed by flames. As toxic clouds submerge the worker, he uses his coat as a lifesaver.
Glen from Egham in Surrey then expertly dropped a cabin onto the One Station Hill building near Reading Station while the entire structure was on fire. The man was cheered on by the crowd as he jumped in the cage to be winched into safety.
Edwards downplayed his heroism, but acknowledged: “It was not your typical day at the office.” Edwards added, ‘I’d say that it was very close.’
“I saw someone wave his coat,” said the heroic crane operator today. I was sure the person would be at this level. The cage was being blown about by the wind. Just waiting for the smoke cleared. It was obvious that I had put it out in flames. I was told by the supervisor (banksman) when he came in.
“I wasn’t more than 20 meters up and looked out of my left window to see a man standing at the corner. The cage was on when I saw him. The wind was blowing quite hard.
He described it as an ‘abrupt close call’. The construction worker, Sir Robert McAlpine, managed to winch the man out of the fire at high speed.
Edwards said: “I’d say that it was very close, especially if you watch the video and see how the wind was blowing. The wind was swirling and I couldn’t put down the cage between him, the fires. The cage was down, and I had him inside.
Edwards played down the heroics of his actions, saying: “I’m not the type to cause a big fuss, but I don’t like it when people do that.”
This dramatic rescue of the three minutes saved the life of the construction worker, as all around was blazing cladding that caused toxic clouds.
Firefighters have confirmed that another man was lifted out of the building using a crane. It is incredible that despite the intensity of the fire only two people had to be hospitalized for smoke inhalation. This included the worker saved by Glen.
Wayne Bowcock is the Chief Fire Officer of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. He said, “Following this morning’s fire, in Reading Town Centre, I’d like to thank the crane operator for a very skillful rescue, under difficult conditions.
Without their actions, the scenario could be completely different.
“On behalf of Service, I wish the best to two individuals who were saved from the building. We hope they make a quick recovery.”
At the peak of the fire more than fifty of our officers and firefighters responded quickly to the scene and worked rapidly and aggressively with the support of police, ambulance, and other partners, in order to put out the fire. As you can see on the video, the fire had grown into a significant fire.
Thank you to all the responders for their professionalism and dedication, and also the members of Reading’s community for your support and patience.
This 16-storey building, located opposite Reading Rail and Crossrail stations, was part of an apartment complex that suffered a fire only five months earlier. Although the fire has been contained, its cause is still unknown.
Witnesses have said that the scene was reminiscent of 9/11, as high-visibility builders rushed into a pub nearby to fetch water for the people miraculously saved by Mr Edwards.
The manager of Greyfriar Pub, which is directly opposite the entrance for staff to the construction site, recalled the dramatic moment when a worker came in to ask for water from a bar to give to one of the two men rescued off the roof.
She told MailOnline that she saw smoke at 11.45am. It was thick and going across the station. I looked out. At first, it was hard to tell which building had caught fire, because smoke was coming from between them.
I was on my way to the pub when they began evacuating more people. The whole area surrounding the pub had been sealed off. Many builders came into the pub to drink or use the toilet. One came at 10:25 and asked for a water bottle.
He was with the man rescued by the crane who was experiencing a little panic. He asked to pay me for the bottle of water I had given him. I told him, “No way.”
The fire brigade seemed to have dealt with the situation quickly. By 10:12, most of the smoke was gone. However, everyone stayed out in the open for a considerable amount of time. The crane operator deserves to be hailed as a hero.
MailOnline was not allowed to talk to construction site workers at the Station Hill Development in Reading’s town center on Wednesday. Sources have indicated that the insulation could be at fault.
This follows an earlier fire in the Station Hill Development, which occurred just four months prior. Residents are worried about the safety of this site where houses are being sold.
“And then there was the fire in July.” The bartender added. It was almost exactly the same smoke – thick, black smoke from the exact same location.
As someone who runs a small business near the site, I find it a little concerning that in just a matter of months, there have been two fires. It must have hundreds of workers. You don’t realize how many people are employed there, said one of the workers.
“Thank goodness they saved everyone, but what if this keeps happening? You’d be scared to death.”
Charlene Flygring (36), an eyewitness from Caversham who had considered moving in with her son aged three, says that today’s blaze has made her reconsider.
Website for Ebb and flow development offers flats for rent starting at PS1320 per month for studio.
The scenes of black smoke rising from an all-glass building reminded Ms Flygring of 9/11 terror attacks.
MailOnline reported that she said: “My son attends nursery right up the street. When I arrived, I received a video of the scene from a person who worked at the station. It looked exactly like the 9/11 attacks: a bright blue sky with crisp weather, large glass buildings, and smoke coming from the roof.
When I arrived, there was nothing but police around me, whether it be armed, regular, or community. There were people wearing orange jackets and yellow vests. Maybe 100 or 150 workers.
This happened back in July, and the road was closed. It wasn’t that long ago. There was a property I wanted to see. Currently, people are living in these properties. Social media is used to advertise the properties.
“But I’ve got a kid.” This is frightening. The July fire may have been one of a million situations, but it was a rare occurrence.
Clicking her fingers, she added that “this fire was lit in a blink of an eye.” “Am I thinking about moving there now?” No way! No way. The area is being regenerated, but it must be done safely.
The hairdresser who works near the Reading building that caught fire in the blaze of Thursday says it’s the second time this year the same construction site has been affected by a fire.
Jane Sneddon (44), said that she had last evacuated her salon in the month of July. Ruby Reds Hairdressing, which is located directly below the burning building today, was able to be felt by Ms Sneddon.
Reading residents reported that their salon had to be evacuated when a nearby building collapsed due to scaffolding.
Ms Sneddon has been the owner of her salon for 4 years. She said, ‘There was a second fire, in another building. We were evacuated once again. We had to evacuate at the start of the building works because scaffolding collapsed. Someone was injured that time.
The manager of The Greyfriar Pub said that the fire occurred on July 7th.
Roof services are essential for maintaining the functionality and integrity of your roof. For more information you can check right here where we give a better view of our service The Roof Technician flat roofing services in Toronto. Roofs may become worn out over time, resulting in leaks, damages, and a worn-out appearance. Professional roofing services provide comprehensive solutions including roof inspections, residential flat roofing services, replacement, and installation of durable roofing material. Using professional roofing services will protect your home from weather, ensure its structural integrity and maintain its value. Professional assistance is essential for a long-lasting and secure solution to your roofing issues, whether it involves a specific issue or an upgrade of the whole system.
