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Man trapped on top of 270 ft industrial chimney has died, police confirm

Man trapped on top of 270 ft industrial chimney has died, police confirm

A man who was trapped at the top of a 270 ft industrial chimney since the early hours of Monday morning has died, police have confirmed.

Paramedics pronounced the man deceased at the scene at around 4.45pm on Monday afternoon.

He was confirmed to be in his 50s and from Carlisle.

A Cumbria Police statement said: “The thoughts of all the emergency services and partners are with the family and friends of the man.

“An investigation will commence into the circumstances into how and why the man was on the chimney and the constabulary will be informing Her Majesty’s Coroner.”

Emergency services were working to recover the man since 2am on Monday morning.

Police were called to Dixon’s Chimney, a prominent landmark in Carlisle, after locals reported seeing a man dangling from the top of the structure who was shouting for help.

A Cumbria Police spokesperson told Yahoo News UK earlier on Monday that there were “no signs of life” from the man.

The man is seen here, in an image from social media, dangling from the top of the former mill chimney (Twitter EMURRIE91)
The man is seen here, in an image from social media, dangling from the top of the former mill chimney (Twitter EMURRIE91)

Footage from the scene showed the figure with his legs in the air at the top of the chimney as a helicopter hovered near the top of the structure on Monday afternoon.

The Fire and Rescue service were forced to ground the helicopter after an unsuccessful attempt to rescue him because the force of the blades put the man at risk of falling and possible damage to the chimney, which could cause the structure itself to become unstable.

Footage from the scene appears to show a figure, upside down with his legs in the air, at the top of the chimney. (Twitter)
Footage from the scene appears to show a figure, upside down with his legs in the air, at the top of the chimney. (Twitter)

Emergency services used a 295ft cherry picker, which arrived from Glasgow, to secure the ladder on the outside of the chimney as it was too damaged for rescue workers to climb, before recovering the man.

It is not currently known how he accessed the area to reach the top of the chimney.

A Cumbria Fire and Rescue spokesman told Yahoo News UK: “It’s a difficult site to access.

“There are locks in place and high walls. He’s been to some effort to access the place.”

It is believed there is a ladder inside the chimney which goes all the way to the top for servicing purposes.

John McVay, Cumbria Fire and Rescue, Area Manager said last night: “The operation is a very complex and difficult process given the obvious dangers to the man and the extreme difficulty in gaining access to him in a way which will keep him and emergency services safe”.

“I can assure the public that the emergency services are working tirelessly and effectively together to resolve this issues safely for all and that the protection of life is our first priority.

“I’d also like to ask anyone who has a cherry picker in excess of 90 metres within Cumbria to please contact Cumbria police or Cumbria Fire and rescue service on 999”