This is the dramatic moment a workman is rescued from the roof of a burning building in a makeshift winch by a heroic quick-thinking crane operator.
Remarkable footage shows a man stranded at the top of the £750m One Station Hill development in Reading as the building is engulfed in flames.
Having to choose his fate in a matter of seconds, the worker initially hesitates as the inferno surrounds him, before climbing aboard the cabin which was lifted into place by a colleague.
He is then winched to safety as the blaze continues to roar, sending thick black smoke throughout the town.
The 16-storey office block is part of a development that endured another fire just five months ago.
A huge fire has broken out in a busy town centre, sending clouds of smoke into the air
Images and videos have emerged on social media showing thick black smoke spewing from an under construction
People have been told to avoid the area, with nearby locals told to close their windows and doors, as smoke can now from villages several miles away
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue were called to fire near Napier Road in Reading at 11.38am this morning, with a number of crews and emergency service vehicles in attendance.
People have been told to avoid the area, with nearby locals told to close their windows and doors, as smoke can now from villages several miles away.
Steve Reynolds, who works in a building 100 yards opposite where the fire started, told the BBC: ‘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 café, 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’s just the most devastating thing I’ve seen in my life.’
A spokesperson for South Central Ambulance Service said two people had been taken to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
Station Road and Blagrave Street are now closed as police launch a drone to investigate a fire that appears to have spread across the top of a tower building site in the Station Hill development
Reading fire
Reading fire
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Reading fire
The spokesperson said: ‘I can confirm we’ve taken two people to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for further assessment and treatment for smoke inhalation, neither of whom were severe cases.
‘We are now on stand-by supporting the fire service (which is a standard operational procedure when they are working at height and at scale).
‘We have our hazardous area response team, an ambulance, the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care car, an operational commander, a tactical adviser and a tactical commander at the scene.’
The large blaze in Reading occurred at the Station Hill development site, it has been confirmed.
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.’
Station Road and Blagrave Street are now closed as police launch a drone to investigate a fire that appears to have spread across the top of a tower building site in the Station Hill development.
Office workers at Thames Tower, which is very close to the on fire construction site, saw the flames first hand and were asked to evacuated around 11.40am.
Thames Valley Police have closed Friar Street, but Great Western Railway say the fire has not affected train services yet.
Due to an incident, Thames Travel say the 143 and X40 services are unable to serve Friar Street, Station Road and Forbury Road.
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 the landmark building has caught fire, as it was the centre of a blaze in July last year
Reading fire
Reading fire
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.
Reading fire
This is not the first the landmark building has caught fire, as it was the centre of a blaze in July last year.
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.’
