Chimney plunge rescue: VIDEO

A TOP firefighter has told how crews battled for two-hour s to free a man who had become trapped after falling down a chimney.

Incident Commander Neil Hessell was part of the rescue team called to St John's Avenue, Masborough, at around 8.20pm on Sunday, in response to calls that a man was walking along the roof of a row of terrace houses.

But the drama soon escalated when the man toppled into a chimney stack and became trapped. sparking a complex rescue operation.

Area Manager Hessell said that the incident was one of the most unusual incidents in his 27 years in the force, adding: "We arrived to find a man in his 30s walking along the roof, throwing slates, chimney pots and television aerials onto the street below. "Around six cars were damaged and there was a significant danger to the public so the street was cordoned off."

But the fire crew leapt into action when the man disappeared into the chimney.

He said: “We called for our Technical Rescue Unit and hydraulic platform and those firefighters worked extremely well in partnership with the police and ambulance services to rescue the man and ensure the safety of the surrounding areas.”

Rescue teams were forced to demolish the chimney around the stranded man who was trapped at ground floor levelafter almost two hours.

The rescued man, who was suffering from leg injuries, abrasions and shock, was left in the care of the police and ambulance services.

Structural engineers later confirmed the building was safe.