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| Adam Jastrzebski |
Crane operator Adam Jastrzebski says he is calling it quits. The 68-year-old construction worker spoke from his hospital bed today as he recovered from the burns and trauma caused by his harrowing escape during yesterday’s raging fire in Kingston. Jastrzebski, 68, was stranded atop his crane at the centre of the massive fire and was “severely burned” before a military helicopter was able to navigate smoke and flames to airlift him to safety. Mr. Jastrzebski is said to have been burned on his hands, legs, back and buttocks. His employer, Aram Malek of Canadian Professional Crane Inc., said “He’s in severe pain right now in the hospital and they’re giving him morphine.” He added, “I’m just surprised no one got hurt more than that because the fire was enormous.” Firefighters from neighbouring communities had to be called in to help Kingston crews battle the flames which had engulfed an apartment building that was under construction. A crowd watched from the streets as the crane operator got out of his cab, crept along the boom of the crane to its very edge and waited to be rescued by a team from CFB Trenton.
