UPDATED: Edina Fire Assist in Plymouth Rescue

The Edina Fire Department assisted several other Twin Cities fire departments and first responders in Plymouth on Thursday night, helping rescue two crewmen working on a 100-foot cellular communications tower near Schmidt Lake Road and Cheshire Lane after they became stuck. 

"We don't see this kind of situation often," Plymouth Fire Chief Rick Kline said. "In fact, I haven't seen anything like this in the 34 years I've been here."

Plymouth Fire responded to the incident around 6 p.m. and called in a special team equipped to handle high angle rescues. According to reports, crews from Plymouth, Eden Prairie, Edina, Richfield and St. Louis Park were called to assist with the 'technical rescue.'

"These men were in a precarious position, 106 feet above the ground," Kline said. "Plus, it was a chilly night so we had health concerns as well."

Edina Fire Assistant Chief Darrell Todd said that his department received the request for assistance just before 6 p.m. on Thursday night after the first emergency responders determined the rescue required special equipment. One of five Task Force One responders in Minnesota, the Edina Fire Department has personnel and equipment meant to handle particularly difficult rescue situations.

According to Kline the crew was conducting maintenance on the tower when their equipment failed, not allowing them to safely get down. After two hours of work, the two workers were brought to safety.

Todd reported that the rescue was straightforward, and that both repair workers were rescued with no complications. The first man was brought down around 8 p.m. and the incident was wrapped up around 9 p.m.

“It was pretty straightforward, something they (emergency responders) practice quite often,” Todd Said. “The  only thing was that last night it was pretty cold and windy, so the guys were getting the full blast of wind.”

Both men were taken to North Memorial for hypothermic and circulatory concerns.

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