Reading fire: Crane operator rescues worker next to burning high-rise

A crane operator has rescued a worker from a roof close to a burning building.

Firefighters were called to the Station Hill development in Reading, which has since been cordoned off, at 11:40 GMT.

Video footage from social media shows a person being lifted by a crane from the roof of a building, prompting applause from a crowd below.

Crane operator Glen Edwards said it had been a "very close call" due to swirling winds.

"I looked out my left-hand window and saw a guy standing on the corner of the building," said the 65-year-old, from Egham, Surrey.

"I'd only just seen him and someone said 'can you get the cage on', so that was it, I got the cage on and got it over to him the best I could.

"I tried to put the cage down between him and the flames, but I was hampered by the wind swirling around there.

"But I got the cage down and I managed to get him in there."

The blaze, which created a huge amount of black smoke, has now been been put out by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Group Manager Chris Hearn said during the incident another person was also rescued using a crane.

South Central Ambulance Service said two people were taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, but neither case was severe.

• Live updates: Fire at development in central Reading

Local residents and businesses were urged to avoid the area, stay indoors and to keep windows closed.

More than 50 firefighters attended the blaze, along with the air ambulance and an incident command unit.

Tom Canning, who was on his way to a meeting, said there were crowds of people watching the fire from below.

He said: "I worked out as I walked closer to my office that it was the new development on Station Hill - it looked horrific, just massive plumes of black smoke.

"The crane operator was just incredibly brave to rescue that worker."

The fire in Reading town centre sent up thick, black smoke that could be seen for miles around

Steve Reynolds works in a building 100 yards away from where the fire started.

He said: "I saw a black cloud go up and a ball of flames happen and all of a sudden I could see there was a guy trapped on the corner.

"There were bits of glass falling off the side of the building and he was completely exposed up there.

"Then all of a sudden a crane came out from the left with a carriage on it and they lowered it down… and he gets in and they pull him away.

"There was a massive cheer from all the workers on the ground. It was pretty terrifying."

Peter, who runs a local cafe, said the fire was "really quite dramatic - thick billowing smoke and lots of flames".

"We immediately got rid of all our customers - that's all we could think to do," he said.

Aaron, who was a bystander, said it was the "most devastating thing" he had seen in his life.

"I thought the flames and smoke were going to break the glass," he added.

The fire service said all people had been accounted for

Another witness said: "I was in the next door building, there was a guy standing up there, luckily the crane came in just in time.

"He was coughing [when he came down], from the smoke.

"When he got inside the crane and the crane put him down everyone was clapping.

"The crane operator was very fast. He was still in the crane while the building was on fire."

Redwood Consulting, on behalf of the Station Hill redevelopment project, 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."

Local residents and businesses were urged to avoid the area, stay indoors and to keep windows closed

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