Mr. Heights Takes A Drop In Australia

Lee Heights, a window cleaner has fallen from the top of a Gold Coast high-rise, dangling 17 storeys above the ground after his harness gave way.

Queensland cleaner rescued after high-rise fall: A hotel guest has helped rescue a window cleaner left dangling on a rope after falling four storeys at a Gold Coast high-rise. The man had been cleaning windows on the 21st floor of the Sunbird Beach Resort at Main Beach, when a rope went slack. The 35-year-old, who was wearing a safety harness, fell four floors and hit a 17th floor window. A woman staying at the hotel reportedly pulled the dangling man onto a balcony. He has been taken to the Gold Coast Hospital in a stable condition, with suspected rib injuries.

The cleaner, reported to have the ironic name of Lee Heights, was left dangling next to the balcony of the room where the Nicol family, from Brisbane, were holidaying. Mum Jenny Nicol helped pulled the man to safety before she and husband Richard raised the alarm with the building managers. "He was yelling out in pain and groaning and looked a bit dazed," Ms Nicol told The Courier-Mail. "He must have knocked himself out for a bit. I'm just glad he's okay." Police as well as the Department of Workplace Health and Safety are investigating the incident.

Sunbird Beach Resort at Main Beach

Gold Coast high-rise window cleaner who plunged five floors is plucked to safety by tourist on 17th floor: Brisbane holiday makers have rescued a high-rise window cleaner - with the ironic name of Lee Heights - who plunged five floors from a Gold Coast apartment tower. Mr Heights, 35, was tethered to an abseiling rope while cleaning windows on the 21st floor of the Sunbird Beach Resort at Main Beach when he fell about 9.30am on Wednesday. He is believed to have struck his head as he plummetted to the 17th storey, where he was left dazed and dangling.

The Nicol family, of Indooroopilly, were holidaying in the building when they saw Mr Heights fall and pulled him to safety through a bedroom window. "He sort of swung down and hit his head and his elbow smashed into the glass,'' said 14-year-old Jess Nicol, who was in the kitchen of the 17th floor apartment when she saw the fall. "He was just hanging there next to our unit.''

Mum Jenny Nicol helped pull Mr Heights to safety and she and husband Richard alerted the building managers, who rang an ambulance. "He was yelling out in pain and groaning and looked a bit dazed,'' Mrs Nicol said. "He must have knocked himself out for a bit. I'm just glad he's OK.'' Mr Heights, who has been cleaning highrise windows for about 15 years, was taken to Gold Coast Hospital with minor injuries. Police and the Department of Workplace Health and Safety are investigating.