Home / Disasters and Accidents / Crane Saves Man Trapped in Giant Gas Station Sign
Crane Saves Man Trapped in Giant Gas Station Sign
22 Jul
Summary
- Worker rescued after being stranded 130 feet up.
- Mechanical failure of lift trapped man for five hours.
- Crane used to safely lower stranded worker to ground.
A routine maintenance job on a gas station sign in Wilmington, Illinois, escalated into a dramatic five-hour rescue mission on Tuesday. The worker, positioned 130 feet above the ground on Lorenzo Road, became stranded when the lift he was using experienced a mechanical failure, preventing his descent.
With no ladder access and the lift inoperable, local fire and police departments converged on the scene. After hours of planning and preparation, a crane was brought in to reach the worker trapped inside the massive sign structure.
Just before 4 p.m., approximately five hours after the incident began, the worker was successfully transferred into the crane's basket and slowly lowered to safety. He was subsequently evaluated by emergency responders before being sent home, with no details released regarding any injuries sustained during the lengthy ordeal.
