Winched to safety from the flames

A CONSTRUCTION worker trapped on top of a swaying, 250ft-high crane above a raging fire (left) for more than an hour was rescued by a firefighter who dangled perilously from a helicopter cable.

The fire broke out at an old mill in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday. The flames were licking at the cable as Matt Mosely, the firefighter, climbed on to the crane and scrambled to the end of the arm, where Ivor Sims was waiting.

Mosely strapped Sims into a harness (above) and both were lowered to the ground. Sims walked to a stretcher, and spectators applauded as he was wheeled to an ambulance. He was in a stable condition yesterday, suffering from smoke inhalation and heat exposure.

Larry Rogers, who was in the helicopter to guide the pilot and the cable, said the flames were intensely hot even 80ft above the cable. (Reuters)