VIDEO: SAFD crews rescue injured worker from 130-foot cellphone tower

Man injured his arm while working atop cellphone tower, SAFD says

SAN ANTONIO – A worker was rescued from the top of a cellphone tower after officials said he injured his arm and was unable to safely climb down on his own.

Around 8:20 a.m, on Friday, crews with the San Antonio Fire Department went to the 11200 block of Bandera Road on the city's Northwest Side for a high-angle rescue at the cellphone tower.

SAFD spokesman Joe Arrington said the man somehow injured his right arm while working at the top of the tower, which he believes is about 130 feet tall.

Arrington said crews, some with SAFD's technical rescue unit, decided it was best to use a haul system, which utilizes pulleys.

"(The worker) is wearing a harness ... so they'll tie into that system, they'll do a duplicate safety system and lower him down using the haul system," Arrington said.

Nearly three hours later, SAFD crews were able to brace the man's arm and then lower him down to safety.

Some of the conditions crews faced during the rescue were wind gusts, the location of the tower and its climbing system.

Arrington said the tower is much older in design and crews had to climb up its pegs, which he said takes much longer than newer methods.


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