AN overhead crane driver had to be rescued by firefighters after being overcome by carbon monoxide fumes.

Fellow workers at Beatyheat, at the Tees Offshore base, South Bank, Teesside, raised the alarm after discovering the man in distress in his cab, 40ft above a warehouse floor.

A medical worker from a neighbouring plant brought oxygen for the operative, who was losing consciousness, while Cleveland Fire Brigade was called.

Rescuers climbed up ladders attached to a high gantry to get to the crane.

To get the man out of his cab and down to the ground, firefighters had to manoeuvre their mobile hydraulic platform into the shed, making sure the booms from the ladder did not bring down the roof piers.

"Manoeuvring the hydraulic platform was relatively tricky, but it was lucky we had the ladder. It was the only way to bring him down satisfactorily,'' said Grangetown Station Officer Mark Pottinger. "He had been overcome by carbon monoxide fumes.

"We are unaware where exactly the fumes were coming from, but it was possibly from the exhausts of furnaces in the building.''

A Government spokesman said the Health and Safety Executive was investigating.

Malcolm Chambers, contracts manager with heat treatment specialists Beatyheat, said: "It was one of our client's employees who was overcome by fumes. The fire brigade were called in to bring him down from the overhead crane.

"He was taken to South Cleveland Hospital where he seems to be doing fine. He is being kept in overnight for observation.''

Mr Chambers added: "Because he was overcome by fumes we got in the first aid people from Cammell-Laird, who came across with an oxygen bottle which helped bring him round a bit. He was conscious when he was brought down from the crane."