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Original poster

Man dies after hanging upside down 270ft up Dixons Chimney in Carlisle for 14 hours

77 replies

WolfOfOdin · 29/10/2019 00:09

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-cumbria-50207301

OP posts:
Samcro · 29/10/2019 11:53

poor man what a terrible way to go.
I hope that it will be investigated and things put in place so it can't happen again

thisneverendingsummer · 29/10/2019 12:01

By the way......regarding the incident I was referring to from 7-8 years ago, (where the people in the town I used to live shouted JUMP JUMP JUMP to a man attempting to jump off the top of a multi-storey car park, some 60 feet up...)

I forgot to mention that sadly, this man DID jump, and he did die. He was dead when before the paramedics even got there. Poor man...... Sad

FizzyGreenWater · 29/10/2019 12:03

Poor poor man.

A really distressing way to go.

Original poster
WolfOfOdin · 29/10/2019 12:23

Just drove past Dixons chimney about 15 mins ago, the sheer height of it, doesn't bare thinking about Sad

OP posts:
Sewbean · 29/10/2019 13:33

I found his photo so upsetting. I didn't realise what it was when I first looked or I wouldn't have done.
His poor family, having to see that and know that so many other people have seen it, knowing that photo is out there for ever. Yesterday must have been a horrendous day for his family and friends to live through, I can begin to imagine.

ChicCauldron · 29/10/2019 13:39

From what I read in the press yesterday the ladder the man was tangled up in was pretty fragile and they couldn't just climb up behind him - the emergency services tried everything they could to rescue him, even helicopters. Also the report that I saw said the Police had someone with his family, so they knew who he was.

Velveteenfruitbowl · 29/10/2019 13:42

Clearly most people haven’t advanced much since the Middle Ages. Who in their right mind wants to see that? Let alone takes their children to see? Madness. The whole thing is just sad.

AbbyHammond · 29/10/2019 13:48

@Miaowing "I didnt know being upside down would cause someone to die......"
Not for 5 minutes, no - but 14 hours probably with hypothermia and hanging from a broken leg!

Peridot1 · 29/10/2019 14:37

My previous comment was deleted. I think it referenced a previous comment speculating. Apologies. I wasn’t meaning to be disrespectful.

I did comment that I have found it hard to get the poor man out of my mind. My thoughts are with his poor family and friends. And also to the emergency services. They must have felt so helpless for such a long time to be unable to get to him safely. Huge respect to the two people who went up in the cherry picker and onto the top of the chimney to get him. That must have been really terrifying.

TubbyMcTat77 · 29/10/2019 14:41

Can't actually believe people were taking their kids to ogle what turned out to be a dead man. That is disgraceful. Even if it hadn't been the outcome it was still obvious that this was a horrible traumatic experience for someone to go through. How can people gawp and laugh? I initially thought it must be a workman who had an accident but it now seems more likely that he got up there himself. Awful

overnightangel · 29/10/2019 14:48

Point take about speculation, sorry. They had to abort an attempted rescue with a helicopter it seems as the down draught from the rotors may have unintentionally caused dislodgement. I’m not sure why it’s a landmark or listed building as the bloody thing is an eye sore

ChicCauldron · 29/10/2019 14:51

Yes, the Police asked people not to take their children to the chimney yesterday which was a bit of a clue as to how it was likely to end, but it is unbelievable that they even had to point that out.

Redtartanshoes · 29/10/2019 14:54

You can die from suspension trauma. I work in an industry where we work at height. It’s a massive risk

Mummyoflittledragon · 29/10/2019 15:13

I imagine a lot of people, who went didn’t realise he would die. Mind you, taking your kids to watch does smack of the public executions of yore. Poor man. What a horrible way to die. It must be very painful to have that much pressure in your head from being upside down. Not to mention the fear of falling.

diddl · 29/10/2019 17:06

It all seemed to take such an awful long time.

That said, it seems that he could have been there some hrs before anyone was alerted, so this always might have been the outcome.

pp12 · 29/10/2019 18:53

It’s just awful. I’ve been thinking about it ever since as someone who knows the area. I saw some of the awful pictures yesterday online which where just wrong I kept asking what is wrong with people taking these pictures and videos.

I just hope he’s at rest and the family are getting lots of support.

I’m still numb today thinking about it.

Everyone has asked me today what’s happened how and why. And all I can say it I don’t know it’s just awful and that’s all which needs to be said.

pp12 · 29/10/2019 18:54

There is other details I do know but not posting them or sharing them out of respect.

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 29/10/2019 20:06

Why on earth would you take a child or yourself to look in the first place?! Regardless of the outcome what do you gain from it? Horrible that people even go down that route

SirVixofVixHall · 29/10/2019 21:32

I saw this by accident yesterday and haven’t been able to get it out of my head. That poor, poor man, and his friends and family.
I imagine that no-one could go up after him if there were any concerns re the strength of the ladder, and also because of the risk to anyone below him if he did become dislodged and fall.
I cannot believe that anyone would take a child to see this horrific scene. The news came up while looking at something on Carlisle with dd2, who is 12. She saw the title and chimney but thankfully no images of the mad, and was very upset.
Absolutely tragic death.

SirVixofVixHall · 29/10/2019 21:33

Man, not mad obvs.

purpleme12 · 29/10/2019 21:59

It just doesn't bear thinking about

AuntieStella · 29/10/2019 22:09

The emergency services have said they were using drones to assess the situation. I do not know if it is possible to assess if life is extinct by drone. But if it is, then I can see why they would not risk death/serious injury to a rescuer if there was no possibility it would change the outcome for the trapped person.

Unlike miners or wild board footballers, it was not possible to keep bystanders away from the poor man. If you cannot give immediately useful assistance, you can still give privacy to the afflicted.

SirVixofVixHall · 29/10/2019 22:33

They won’t risk death or serious injury to a rescuer, even if it means the person they want to save does not survive. Minimising loss of life is the first rule, so even if the man had been alive, they would not have risked him possibly falling to his death, and killing rescuers in the process. They have to ensure as much as is possible the safety of any rescuers, otherwise a bad situation can get even worse very quickly.
It was an incredibly dangerous and difficult situation, even if the ladder could have been scaled from below and could take the weight of rescuers, added to the risk of him falling on them would be the extremely risky process of trying to safely disentangle a panicked and possibly injured person.
I feel for the emergency services in this, as well as the trapped man and his loved ones. Just a terrible thing for all concerned.

kateandme · 30/10/2019 01:37

overnightangel thankyou.

Original poster
WolfOfOdin · 30/10/2019 19:18

Official statement has named him and said he was suffering from mental health problems brought about by historic trauma recently disclosed. He leaves a wife, 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

Absolutely heartbreaking

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