Worker rescued from high sign tower near Interstate 55

A worker stranded 130 feet high on a highway sign was rescued by the Wilmington Fire Protection District early Tuesday afternoon.

Fire District personnel responded to the intersection of Lorenzo Rd and the Southwest Frontage Rd at 1:55 p.m. to find that a contractor conducting work was stranded 12 stories high inside an enclosed sign structure toward the top of a sign pole. The telescopic boom lift used by the worker had malfunctioned and Fire District personnel were told he had been at the elevated position for around three hours. 

MABAS Division 15’s Technical Rescue Team specializing in confined space, collapse, and high angle rescue, was activated to assist with the incident, noted Deputy Fire Chief Todd Friddle.

No ladders or stairs built into the sign pole were present, eliminating the possibility of rescue team personnel ascending to the victim’s location as would normally occur in a high angle rescue. The victim’s location was also beyond fire department ladder truck capabilities. 

Friddle said a drone was launched hovering near the sign opening to maintain visual contact with the victim while command staff developed a rescue plan. The malfunctioning lift was able to be lowered and removed from the base of the tower while a replacement machine was located in the Joliet area. 

An Illinois State Police escort was used to bring the new boom lift to the scene where it was then moved from its trailer and into place. Division 15 Technical Rescue Team members along with a machine operator ascended to the victim’s location and transferred him from the sign to the lift. The victim was returned to safety with no victim or rescuer injuries. 

Assistance was provided at the scene by Wilmington Police, Wilmington & Braidwood ESDA, Joliet Fire Department and the Troy, Gardner, Elwood, Joliet, Manhattan, Minooka, Coal City and Plainfield Fire Districts. Change of quarters companies from the East Joliet, Manteno, Coal City Fire Districts and Dwight Ambulance District assisted handling multiple calls in progress during the technical rescue incident.