(CNN) -- A Canadian Forces crew calmly plucked a terrified crane operator trapped by a smoke-spewing fire in Kingston, Ontario. The Tuesday rescue was captured by television cameras and bystanders and posted to social media. The operator had moved from the cab of his crane to its very tip to escape flames and smoke from a building fire that broke out below him Tuesday, and bystanders captured the rescue in a series of images posted to social media. "At first he was petrified, he didn't want to let go of the crane," rescue helicopter commander Capt. David Agnew told CNN affiliate CTV of the crane operator.
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Canadian Forces helicopter rescues crane operator trapped by fire
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The fire Monday destroyed a building in Kingston, Ontario, CBC reports
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The crane operator escaped with only minor injuries, the network says
The crane remained standing Wednesday, @placeholder reported, but engineers are concerned it could fall.