Update: Seattle Fire rescuers bring down ailing crane operator at West Seattle’s Terminal 5

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Seattle Fire Department photo, shared via Twitter)
4:45 PM: Big emergency response headed to the 3400 block of West Marginal Way right now, with word that rescue help might be needed on a crane. This is at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 5, a possible medical emergency. More to come.

4:54 PM UPDATE: You might see a TV helicopter related to this. No word yet on how the rescue’s going.

(Photo by Mike Scharer)
4:59 PM UPDATE: Rescuers have made it up onto a crane. They say via radio they have found “an adult male, conscious, alert, stable” who might be doing well enough to bring down via elevator rather than in a more precarious way.

5:03 PM UPDATE: Sounds like they plan to bring him down in a basket instead.

(Seattle Fire Department photo, shared via Twitter)
6:28 PM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore told us at the scene that the crane op, in his 60s, apparently had heat exhaustion. More when our crew gets back.

(Video by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
7:43 PM: Added video of Moore’s briefing for reporters at the scene (including ours), and photos. The patient was brought down from 140 feet up, he said, and at last report is in stable condition.

Steak July 2, 2013 (5:07 pm)

There is a helicopter hovering above my house in Pigeon Point right now adjacent to the 3800 block of Delridge…

Melinda July 2, 2013 (5:12 pm)

I do not think that helicopter is helping in this situation — at all! Most annoying vultures!

Steak July 2, 2013 (5:12 pm)

KOMO 4 News is calling it a “cardiac issue.” They are going to try to lower the man from the shipping crane in a rescue litter/basket.

WSB July 2, 2013 (5:28 pm)

Thanks, Steak, that’s a quote from an earlier fire PIO tweet but radio traffic isn’t conclusive, from the crews who are actually with the patient. We reported the basket plan. Sounds like the guy was doing OK when they got to him.