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Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Man climbs crane to see fireworks
Call him crazy or just patriotic, or both, but Donald E. Fisher of Seattle apparently wanted to represent the red, white and blue Tuesday afternoon high above Belltown.
Fisher, 42, climbed to the top of a multistory construction crane where, had he been able to remain, he would have had a perfect view of the Elliott Bay fireworks display.
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 | Scott Eklund / P-I | |
| Donald E. Fisher of Seattle crawled out onto a crane Tuesday at the construction site at the corner of Western Avenue and Cedar Street in Belltown and stayed up there for about an hour. | ||
Police and an ambulance were called to the scene as spectators watched in disbelief from the rooftops of their high-rise apartments. Some took photos and videotaped the whole thing.
Seattle Deputy Chief Steve Oleson said appeared to be lucid, and the incident did not appear to be a suicide attempt. "He said he wanted a good view of the fireworks display."
At one point the man shouted to police that he wasn't going to jump.
The crane rocked slightly as Fisher walked back and forth on it effortlessly and at ease, at times hands-free. He proceeded to the edge of the crane, where people thought he was going to jump, but instead he just waved an American flag.
A rescue team with harnesses was sent up the crane to persuade Fisher to climb down. He hesitated at first, but after an hour of negotiating, he shook the hands of rescue team members and was lowered in a harness.
Seattle resident June Kollin, who watched from her rooftop, said she was amazed by his audacity. "I couldn't bear to watch," she said. Kollin said the man appeared to be calm and coherent.
Medics examined the crane climber and gave him a glass of water. At that point, he was arrested, accused of malicious mischief.
"He must have been extremely brave and not afraid of heights; you can't do that inebriated," Kollin said. "He's patriotic."
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