Batu kawan: A maintenance worker who was stranded at a height of 40 metres (m) on a telecommunications tower in Batu Kawan Industrial Park here due to a wasp threat was successfully rescued by the fire brigade.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant operations director John Sagun Francis said his department received an emergency call at 12.10 pm before a fire brigade team was despatched to the location.

“Upon arrival, it was found that the incident involved a Pakistani national who was stranded on platform four of the 40m-high communication tower while carrying out maintenance work there.

“The 29-year-old man was unable to get down due to a wasp nest measuring 25cm in diameter and wasps were roaming on platform one at a height of 10m and the operations commander ordered firemen to put on full PPE (personal protection equipment) to carry out rescue work,” he said in a statement today.

He said the fire brigade lifted and gave the victim a JBPM insect-proof jacket via a safety rope before he managed to get down safely.

According to Sagun, the location was then handed over to the communication tower management to contact the pest control department for the destruction of the wasp nest.