Man dies after hours trapped at top of chimney
● 14-hour rescue operation in Carlisle ends in tragedy
Police have confirmed a man trapped at the top of a 270-foot chimney has died after recovering his body.
Paramedics in Carlisle pronounced the man, who was in his 50s and from the city, dead at the scene at around 4:45pm yesterday after a specialist working-at-height team used ropes and a cherry picker to winch him down, around 14 hours after police were first called to Dixon’s Chimney in Carlisle, a prominent local landmark which was built in 1836.
Police say they know his identity and welfare officers are currently with his family.
A police spokesman said: “The thoughts of all the emergency services and partners are with the family and friends of the man.
“Specialist welfare police officers are supporting his family at this difficult time.
“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.”
Police were first called at 2:22am to reports of a man trapped on the top of Dixon’s Chimney, with fire and ambulances also scrambled to the scene.
A Coastguard helicopter attempted a rescue twice but the operation was aborted. Superintendent Matt Kennerley of Cumbria Police said: “These two attempts have not been successful due to concerns over how securely the man is attached to the ladder at the top of the chimney – and the potential danger of backdrafts from the helicopter.
“These concerns over how securely he is attached have also prevented us from sending someone up the ladder from the bottom. The ladder is also damaged.”
Fire chiefs at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service had made a public appeal for a cherrypicker, or aerial work platform. The platform arrived and a specialist working-atheight team from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service completed the operation shortly before 5pm.
Supt Kennerley said: “All agencies worked as quickly as possible to try and rescue the man. The operation involved road closures, the use of drones to assess the scene, a helicopter, and a cherry-picker brought in from Glasgow.
“All this was done with the aim of bringing the man down safely and while maintaining the safety of emergency services staff.”
The chimney is around 270 feet tall and is a Grade II listed building. When built it was the largest chimney in the country.
Local reports said shouts and wailing could be heard coming from the chimney in the early hours of yesterday morning before police arrived.