This is the dramatic moment a fireman risked his own life to grab the arm of a woman who was attempting to throw herself off the ledge of a 10-storey Chinese tower block. The video - filmed by a passer-by in Shanghai - shows the young woman dangling off the ledge having apparently threatened to jump, reports People's Daily Online. Police had failed to convince the woman - who was depressed after being dumped by her boyfriend - to climb back into a nearby apartment while firefighters on the street below prepared a ladder to try to reach her. Video footage captured the moment fireman Xu Weiguo grabbed the suicidal woman's arm just in time . But before the ladder could be used the woman became more agitated and suddenly lowered herself on to the edge of the concrete ledge. Fireman Xu Weiguo, who was also inside the apartment, immediately climbed out on to the ledge and video shows him grabbing her arm just as she appears to be pushing herself away. He holds on to her right arm and is seen calling for someone to assist him before a colleague also clambers out on to the ledge to help to haul the woman to safety. She was then pushed kicking and screaming back in through the window by the firemen before being restrained by police officers and taken to hospital. He had clambered out on to the ledge when police failed to talk her down . Having held on to her arm, a colleague then joined him to help pull her back on to the ledge . The woman reportedly said she'd felt depressed after being dumped by her boyfriend . She was eventually bundled back through the window kicking and screaming by the firemen . Xu has been widely praised for his actions but insisted he was only doing his job. He told ThePaper.cn 'At the time I hadn't even put on my safety rope or even my helmet when I heard someone outside shout, "She's going to jump". 'I didn't have time to think - I just ran through the apartment and seeing her hanging on the ledge I jumped through the window and grabbed her arm. 'As the ledge is narrow and difficult for me to get good leverage I had to flatten myself out and wait for my colleagues to help. Luckily we were able to save the woman. 'There was no time to think, the entire rescue took 2-3 minutes. Any hesitation by me and she may have fallen off the ledge so I didn't have any of my safety apparatus in place when I grabbed her. 'It was quite dangerous. Under normal operational procedures I would have to wear my helmet as well as my safety ropes.'
Woman threatened to jump off Shanghai tower block after being dumped . Dangled herself off ledge after police failed to talk her down . Fireman Xu Weiguo climbed out and grabbed her arm just as she was attempting to push herself off .