A man has been rescued from a canal after falling from height in Birmingham city centre during a major multi-agency operation involving firefighters, specialist paramedics and police. Emergency services were called to Bradford Street in Digbeth at around 1.31am on Monday following reports that a man had fallen into the canal. West Midlands Fire Service mobilised three fire engines, its Technical Rescue Unit and a Hydraulic Platform, working alongside West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and West Midlands Police to carry out the complex rescue.
Specialist rescue operation
The incident prompted a significant emergency response as crews worked together to safely reach the casualty in the difficult location. West Midlands Fire Service initially urged members of the public to avoid the area while the rescue operation was underway.
Man taken to hospital
West Midlands Ambulance Service said:
“We were called by the police to reports of a man who had fallen from height into a canal off Bradford Street, Birmingham at 1.31am today.
“An ambulance, two paramedic officers and HART paramedics responded along with police and fire colleagues.
“Once located, the man was assessed and treated for injuries not believed to be life threatening.
“The team worked together to carefully extricate him from the difficult location using specialist equipment before he was conveyed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further care.”
Fire crews praised
Providing an update at around 4am, West Midlands Fire Service confirmed the rescue had been successfully completed. A spokesperson said:
“Crews from Highgate, Billesley and Technical Rescue, working closely with HART and Police, have successfully rescued one person following a fall from height in Digbeth.
“They are now in the care of WMAS.”
Incident resolved
The man was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for treatment. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The circumstances surrounding the fall have not been confirmed.
