Reading Fire LIVE updates: Worker rescued by crane as firefighters battle raging inferno at high-rise development building
Watch: Reading Fire hero crane driver who winched colleague to safety from top of raging inferno
A workman was stranded at the top of the One Station Hill development when it caught fire – but was rescued by a hero crane driver.
The modest crane driver who saved the workman from the roof of the burning £750million Reading development today played down his Hollywood-style rescue – but admitted: ‘It has not been your average day at work’.
Footage of Glen Edwards moving a cage through smoke and flame to save his unnamed colleague revealed his skills as an operator – and just how close to death the man he saved could have been.
Mr Edwards has revealed he saw the workman because he was waving his coat – begging for help as the blaze surrounded him.
Under huge pressure, Mr Edwards then managed to expertly drop a cabin on to the top of the office developmen as the building was engulfed in flames.
There were huge cheers from the ground as the man jumped into the cage and was winched down to safety.
What is the building at the centre of the blaze?
The One Station Hill Complex was a landmark building that was due to open next year containing 15 floors of workspace and a fitness club.
This is not the first time the landmark building has caught fire, as it was the centre of a blaze in July last year.
Office workers at Thames Tower, which is very close to the construction site on fire, saw the flames first hand and were asked to evacuated around 11.40am.
Statement issued on behalf of Station Hill
Redwood Consulting, on behalf of Station Hill, said: ‘We activated our fire emergency plans immediately, the emergency services were notified and are currently on site.
‘The safety of those on site and the wider public is always our first priority, and the site has been evacuated as a result.
‘As soon as we have more information we will provide an update.’
Reading fire: MailOnline will give you the latest updates
An inerno broke out earlier at a high-rise building in Reading with a man stranded at the top of the One Station Hill development when it caught fire.
The blaze broke out at 11.38am today near the town train station.
Follow MailOnline’s live blog for the latest updates.
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