03.07.2026

Stuck in the air

A fire crew in Ann Arbor, Michigan, west of Detroit, were called on to rescue a man stranded in the platform of a Bil-Jax 5533A trailer lift on Wednesday.
According to the fire service crew that attended the scene, the platform had become unstable, causing the controls to lock out.
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photos courtesy of Ann Arbor Fire

They went on to say: “Firefighters quickly assessed the situation and deployed ground ladders to safely remove the occupant. The individual was rescued without injury, and the incident was resolved without further complications.”
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A quick look at the photos provided by the Ann Arbor Fire service indicates a poor set-up, with no attempt to use outrigger mats even though the lift was set up on what looks like a simple tarmac drive, with the outriggers resting on the very edge of the ‘hard standing’.
It would be interesting to know how much familiarisation the trapped man had received when he rented the machine?

Have a safe weekend.