A search and rescue helicopter rescues a crane operator during a fire in downtown Kingston, Ont., Tuesday, Dec.17, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
December 18, 2013 - 6:13 AM
KINGSTON, Ont. - A construction crane at the centre of a massive fire in Kingston, Ont., is still standing the day after a dramatic rescue of its operator by a military helicopter.
City officials say parts of the fire may still be smouldering after firefighters worked throughout the frigid night and early morning hours to put out any remaining hot spots.
Tuesday's dramatic rescue saw a Griffon military helicopter swoop in to pluck the worker from his perch on a construction crane high above a massive fire in Kingston, Ont.
Police say the crane operator suffered only minor injuries after being stranded when the blaze broke out around 2 p.m. Tuesday at an apartment building under construction.
Officials say there was concern about the structural integrity of the crane at the construction site and whether it might collapse from the intense heat below.
More than 150 people were forced from their homes on Tuesday, but many had been allowed to return early this morning, as city officials reduced the size of the evacuation area.
There's no immediate word on what sparked the blaze.
(CFLY, The Canadian Press)
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013