A high-rise crane driver has been saved after becoming trapped in flames and smoke as a blaze broke out in a North Carolina shopping area while his terrified wife watched on helplessly from the ground.
The fire broke out in the SouthPark Mall area of Charlotte, North Carolina, at around 9.30am today, Thursday May 18.
In the midst of the smoke and flames, a construction worker became trapped high above the blaze. He was dramatically rescued - but workers have told local media how two colleagues working on the windows were unable to be rescued and cannot be contacted.
The worker, reportedly a general contractor, was operating the crane which became engulfed in thick smoke as the fire raged on below.
Around an hour after the fire was first reported, the worker was still reportedly trapped at the top of the crane.
Photos captured from a helicopter at the scene showed the worker in the crane as smoke billowed around them. He was reported safe at around 10.50am, after he was rescued by firefighters.
His wife was reportedly watching on from the ground as firefighters rescued the crane operator, according Alaina Monz, a witness who said she was stood next to the crane operator's wife.
Channel 9's Hannah Goetz reported that the crane operator was a general contractor with Mill Creek who was working for Heede.
Mill Creek sent Channel 9 a statement which said: "Our No.1 priority is the health and safety of the people who were working there today and those in the surrounding area.
"Our thoughts are with those who were impacted and their friends and family members. We are gathering as much information as possible on what occurred and will take the appropriate measures to address today's incident."
It's believed that the fire started at an apartment building currently under construction with a huge plume of smoke and fire from the building reaching higher than a nearby 15-storey tower.
Locals have reported pieces of ash the size of their palm raining down and nearby buildings have been evacuated as a precaution.
A nearby building had to be evacuated after burning debris landed on the roof with fire crews rushing to that scene to prevent the fire spreading.
The fire started out as a three-alam fire but was later escalated to six-alarm, meaning fire crews from other areas were called in.
There have been concerns raised about a possible collapse in the burning building. Footage from the scene showed flames appearing to burst out of almost every floor of the building.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have warned residents that they have had to close roads around the building and have asked drivers to avoid the SouthPark area and seek alternate routes.
At one point, the smoke from the blaze was so severe it was being picked up by the radar at the local Charlotte airpot.
By around 10.30am smoke had started to dissipate and the mayor reported the fire was under control.
