A crane operator has rescued a man from a burning high-rise in England

LONDON (AP) — A crane operator has played down tributes paid to him after he lifted a man to safety from a burning high-rise building in England. Video from the scene in the town of Reading in southern England showed a man being rescued by a crane cage from the roof of a building under construction as thick plumes of dark smoke and flames billowed around him. The man was lifted in the air and then lowered to the ground. A 65-year-old crane operator Glen Edwards described the situation as a “close call” because of windy conditions. Officials said that more than 50 firefighters arrived at the scene to tackle the blaze and another man was also lifted from the building by crane. The fire was extinguished later Thursday.