An Illinois maintenance worker was trapped for more than six hours in a 130-foot gas station sign after the lift he was using malfunctioned. The incident required a major emergency response because the sign was too high for standard fire-truck ladders to reach, highlighting the difficulties of rescuing people from specialised elevated equipment.

The incident occurred in Wilmington, Illinois, and the worker identified himself as AJ. Footage credited to local station WFLD showed the rescue operation; no further details on his condition or the eventual rescue method were included in the supplied article text.