Officials with the Colorado Springs Fire Department rescued a crane operator Sunday after an elevated boom struck a utility pole.

The incident occurred around 8:45 a.m. near North 19th and Dale streets on the city's west side.

“The wind was blowing pretty strong – maybe 30 miles per hour,” said eyewitness Jake Paslay, who added that he was about three feet away at the time of the incident.

“I saw the crane fall into the power line and sparks shot about three meters in all directions. I was lucky.”

CSFD crews successfully rescued the stranded construction worker and assessed him for possible injuries, officials said.

According to Colorado Springs Utilities representative Eric Isaacson, the incident caused a power outage that affected approximately 1,700 customers.

“Crews must remove the crane from the power line before we can restore power,” Isaacson said. “Some traffic lights were affected by the outage so please exercise caution.”

North 19th Street was closed at Glenn Street during the rescue operation. Motorists were advised to avoid the area.

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