Hero crane driver who rescued man from burning building in Reading granted bucket list wish

ITV News

06-06-2025

Glen Edwards talked to ITV News Meridian's Wesley Smith about his heroic rescue and his bucket list wish
The crane operator who rescued a worker from a burning tower block at Reading's Station Hill has been granted his bucket list of wishes thanks to a Berkshire charity.
No-one who saw the Station Hill fire in November 2023 will ever forget the sight as smoke and flames over the centre of Reading.
It was crane driver, Glen Edwards, who saved the day, putting his own life at risk in a daring mission to rescue a trapped worker from the top of the building, surrounded by flames.
Glen Edwards said: "The smoke was absolutely intense, I could hardly see him, well, I couldn't see him. I knew he was there, he was standing on the edge of the building.
"By the time I got the cradle on he had about two metres of area he was standing on that wasn't alight. The adrenalin was out the roof.
"He's got two girls, eight and 13 they were at the time, and I got a ver heartfelt letter that would bring a tear to your eye."
Glen, who lives near Ascot, didn't realise at the time he had cancer of the tongue. Although it was treated successfully, the cancer has since returned.
"The cancer has spread unfortunately to five places in my spine."
At an awards ceremony in Reading, Glen and his wife met Gini Hackett, from Burghfield, who set up the charity, Bucket List Wishes in memory of her mother.
She heard Glen had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and gladly took on the role fairy godmother.
Gini said: "I found it amazing to do this wish for him. He's really humble, what he did was incredible. He is a real hero to us so we absolutely had to do something for him."
But 66-year-old Glen is a modest man and didn't ask for an exotic holiday or lavish cruise.
He needed to move home and wanted some new flooring and a shed.So, in came new flooring, kitchen equipment, generous vouchers for bedding and another big surprise, a fishing trip to Swanage.
Glen said: "This is unbelievable what's happened to me, quite emotional really."Whatever the future may hold for Glen, thanks to Gini, he can rest assured he's left his family well cared for and forever proud of their true hero.