A South Carolina worker says he feels lucky to be alive after his construction bucket caught fire.
Kevin Putman clung on for life some 50 feet above the ground on top of the pole he was working on as the blaze took hold, reports WISTV.com.
“Only place I had to go was jump or climb, so I climbed,” said Putman, 44, who was working on a Domino’s Pizza sign.
Video shot by a passerby, Michael Vandiver, showed Putman clinging to the top of the pole as the bucket blazed.
“I felt heat to my back, I turned round and my controls were on fire,” said Putman.
“I threw my torches out of the bucket, I went to my controls and they were bubbling.”
That was when he made the decision to climb higher to safety.
It was a good choice.
Firefighters were able to rescue Putman after some 45 minutes.
Despite the drama, he escaped only with burns to the hair on his legs and the bottom of his shoes.
