Print
Close
Illinois worker spent over six hours trapped in gas station sign too tall for fire truck ladders to reach
By James Cirrone
Published July 24, 2026
An Illinois maintenance worker was trapped for more than six hours in a 130-foot-tall gas station sign after his lift malfunctioned.
The worker, who identified himself as AJ Gow, was doing repair work Tuesday on the towering sign, which is located along Lorenzo Road off Interstate 55 in Wilmington.
At 1:55 p.m., the Wilmington Fire District was called to this area on a report of a worker stuck inside one of the enclosed signs atop the sign pole.
EIGHT RIDERS LEFT DANGLING ATOP 100-FOOT ROLLER COASTER FOR OVER THREE HOURS AT TEXAS AMUSEMENT PARK
Fire crews with the Wilmington Fire District in Illinois ascend a boom lift to rescue a maintenance worker, AJ Gow, who was trapped inside one of the signs atop the 130-foot pole for hours on Tuesday. (Wilmington Fire District)
"The telescopic boom lift used by the worker had malfunctioned and Fire District personnel were told he had been at the elevated position for around 3 hours," officials with the fire district said in a statement on social media.
Additionally, the sign pole had no stairs or ladders built into it, making it impossible for rescue teams to climb up without another lift, officials said.
Another problem was that the Wilmington Fire District's trucks have ladders that only go 100 feet in the air, which meant Gow was 30 feet out of reach.
Eventually, fire officials located another boom lift in the Joliet area, which is roughly 20 miles north of the rest stop. The lift was brought to the sign with an Illinois State Police escort, officials said.
AJ Gow, the worker, said he spent over six hours trapped in the interior of the sign after his lift malfunctioned. (Wilmington Fire District)
FAMILY'S SPRING BREAK HIKE TURNS INTO LIFE-OR-DEATH RESCUE AFTER PARENT FALLS 70 FEET OFF UTAH CLIFF
After the new lift was in place, firefighters were able to reach Gow and get him back to the ground, the fire district said.
Gow thanked all the first responders from different departments that came to his aid, saying that "seeing that lift roll up with police escorts was the highlight of my day for sure!!"
Gow later said on social media that he spent over six hours in a cramped position within the interior of the sign.
An aerial view of the sign AJ Gow was trapped in for more than six hours this week. (WFLD)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
"I was too hot and thirsty to be anxious. I was moreso nauseous and dizzy. And incredibly uncomfortable to be in for over 6 hours. It was only 16" wide and wasn't even tall enough to stand fully upright either," Gow wrote in response to someone commenting on the fire district's post.
In another comment, Gow said the sign "kept swaying with the wind."
Gow said that after he got down, he went to the hospital to be treated for dehydration. Fox News Digital reached out to Gow for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/illinois-worker-trapped-gas-station-sign-fire-truck-ladders-reach