Safety rope saves Chinese construction worker after fall from seven-storey-high crane

A construction worker in eastern China survived falling from a seven-storey-high crane when a single safety rope left him suspended in mid-air 20 metres off the ground, mainland media reported.

The worker, surnamed Xu, from Anhui province, was dismantling the crane at a building site in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sunday morning when he suddenly slipped and fell, the Qianjiang Evening News reported.

Xu was left suspended about 20 metres above the ground after the single safety rope, which he had tied around his chest, held firm, the report said.

The worker was seen bleeding from his head and looked to be in pain when rescuers arrived half an hour later.

One rescuer climbed onto the base of crane, using a ladder from a nearby building, near to where Xu was hanging suspended, and after about 20 minutes was able to pull him to safety and carry him down to the ground.