By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 09:44 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 18 December 2013 . A crane operator who was trapped high above a burning building has been saved by a brave rescuer who dangled from a Royal  Canadian Air Force helicopter and pulled the man to safety. Tuesday's fire at a partially-constructed apartment complex in Kingston, Ontario, quickly engulfed the cab of the crane that was perched above the building, forcing the operator to crawl out on the exposed boom. A daring RCAF sergeant attached to hoist was lowered onto the crane. He grabbed hold of the frightened crane operator and lifted him to safety as dozens of onlookers held their breath on the ground. Photographers captured images of the harrowing rescue, including the moment the crane operator was lifted into the air and safely pulled into the safety of the CH-146 Griffon helicopter. Scroll down for video . Harrowing: A Royal Canadian Air Force rescue shopper was sent in to save a crane operator who was stranded high above a burning building Tuesday . Harrowing: Sergeant Cory Cisyk put on a harness on the stranded man and hoisted him up to the relative safety of the air force helicopter . Inferno: The crane caught when a partially-constructed apartment complex that it was working on burst into flames . 'For us, this was extremely unusual. But even discussing with the crew afterwards, we really figured that the training we do every day really came into it and played a big factor in the way things ran,' Sergeant Cory Cisyk told the CBC. The man was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, but we later released. The crane is still standing, though officials say it could collapse and fall down at any time after the flames severely damaged the metal frame. Neighboring homes have been evacuated because engineers have no idea when or where the crane will come down. Sgt Cisyk and his crew flew from Canadian Forces Base, Trenton about 65 miles away from Kingston after it became clear that the crane operator would require aerial acrobatics to rescue. Trapped: The crane operator hunkered down at the end of the boom as he waited for rescuers to arrive. Witnesses on the ground prayed the crane wouldn't collapse before the chopper got to him . Success: The man was treated at a local hospital, but escaped the harrowing ordeal without major injuries . Burned out: The carriage of the crane was engulfed in flames from the building burning below it . Sergeant Cory Cisyk performed the daring rescue . The Kingston Whig-Standard reports that witnesses on the ground shouted encouragement at the trapped crane operator, as they waited for the chopper to arrive. Witness John Ashie told the CBC that onlookers could scarcely believe their eyes. 'Especially when the helicopter guy was rescuing him from the crane, everyone was like, "Oh my god! I can't believe this is happening, it's just so surreal,"' he said. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Sgt Cisyk said the rescue in the middle of a city was rare for the air force crew. RCAF search and rescue choppers are used to plucking stranded hikers out in the mountains or retrieving sailors in distress on the Great Lakes. High-flying: Spectators applauded when the chopper crew rescued the man trapped on the crane .
Crane operator was working on apartment complex that caught fire in Kingston, Ontario .
He was forced to crawl to the end of the crane after the cab caught fire .
It took 90 minutes before a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter could arrive and rescue him .
By . Michael Zennie . PUBLISHED: . 09:44 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 18 December 2013 . A crane operator who was trapped high above a burning building has been saved by a brave rescuer who dangled from a Royal  Canadian Air Force helicopter and pulled the man to safety. Tuesday's fire at a partially-constructed apartment complex in Kingston, Ontario, quickly engulfed the cab of the crane that was perched above the building, forcing the operator to crawl out on the exposed boom. A daring RCAF sergeant attached to hoist was lowered onto the crane. He grabbed hold of the frightened crane operator and lifted him to safety as dozens of onlookers held their breath on the ground. Photographers captured images of the harrowing rescue, including the moment the crane operator was lifted into the air and safely pulled into the safety of the CH-146 Griffon helicopter. Scroll down for video . Harrowing: A Royal Canadian Air Force rescue shopper was sent in to save a crane operator who was stranded high above a burning building Tuesday . Harrowing: Sergeant Cory Cisyk put on a harness on the stranded man and hoisted him up to the relative safety of the air force helicopter . Inferno: The crane caught when a partially-constructed apartment complex that it was working on burst into flames . 'For us, this was extremely unusual. But even discussing with the crew afterwards, we really figured that the training we do every day really came into it and played a big factor in the way things ran,' Sergeant Cory Cisyk told the CBC. The man was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, but we later released. The crane is still standing, though officials say it could collapse and fall down at any time after the flames severely damaged the metal frame. Neighboring homes have been evacuated because engineers have no idea when or where the crane will come down. Sgt Cisyk and his crew flew from Canadian Forces Base, Trenton about 65 miles away from Kingston after it became clear that the crane operator would require aerial acrobatics to rescue. Trapped: The crane operator hunkered down at the end of the boom as he waited for rescuers to arrive. Witnesses on the ground prayed the crane wouldn't collapse before the chopper got to him . Success: The man was treated at a local hospital, but escaped the harrowing ordeal without major injuries . Burned out: The carriage of the crane was engulfed in flames from the building burning below it . Sergeant Cory Cisyk performed the daring rescue . The Kingston Whig-Standard reports that witnesses on the ground shouted encouragement at the trapped crane operator, as they waited for the chopper to arrive. Witness John Ashie told the CBC that onlookers could scarcely believe their eyes. 'Especially when the helicopter guy was rescuing him from the crane, everyone was like, "Oh my god! I can't believe this is happening, it's just so surreal,"' he said. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Sgt Cisyk said the rescue in the middle of a city was rare for the air force crew. RCAF search and rescue choppers are used to plucking stranded hikers out in the mountains or retrieving sailors in distress on the Great Lakes. High-flying: Spectators applauded when the chopper crew rescued the man trapped on the crane .
brave rescuer who dangled from a Royal  Canadian Air Force helicopter and pulled the man to apartment complex in Kingston, Ontario, quickly engulfed the cab of the crane that was perched above the building, forcing the operator to crawl was working on burst into flames . 'For us, this