There has been a large fire in Kingston where a crane operator has been rescued from flames below by an armed forces helicopter. In the pictures sent by Twitter above the chopper can be seen hovering directly above the stranded man, who it appears, has had to seek a haven from the flames at the far end of his crane a long way from his operating cockpit. Canadian Press says a propane explosion is the apparent cause of the conflagration in a building under construction (Tuesday, December 17, 2013). Kingston Police are quoted as saying the building is a student housing development at Princess and Victoria Streets. The fire spread across a street to nearby industrial buildings as well as a nearby residence and possibly the Howard Johnson Inn. There was also concern that the fire could threaten a gas station. A public school a few blocks away was evacuated without incident.
