Fire brigade must rescue tourist from the dome of the cathedral in Florence

The world-famous dome of the Duomo in Florence is a highlight for tourists. There is no elevator. The fire brigade went on an extraordinary mission.

Florence – There are more than 400 steps to climb to the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The dome is considered a technical masterpiece of the early Renaissance. Its diameter inside is around 45 meters. Climbing is worthwhile and can be read in various travel reports. Because from there there is a fabulous view of the city of Florence in Italy.

Florence: Tourist must be rescued from the dome of the Duomo

However, there is no elevator. An emergency in the building therefore poses particular challenges for rescue workers. A video by the Italian fire brigade Vigili del Fuoco now shows what that means. On Twitter, the emergency services published recordings of a rather unusual emergency: a tourist fell ill climbing the dome of Florence Cathedral. Quick help was needed.

Emergency when climbing the dome of Florence Cathedral – fire brigade rescues tourist

The emergency services first transport the patient down steps on a stretcher. In the clip you can see how narrow the staircase to the dome winds. There is hardly room in the passage for a firefighter in his full gear. It’s obviously not an easy task to carry the stretcher safely down with the man without bumping into the walls of the spiral staircase again and again. This operation requires a sure instinct from all helpers.

After the difficult passage inside the dome has been completed, the second part follows. At the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, an enormous turntable ladder from the fire brigade is used to bring the man to the ground on another stage. At a still dizzy height, the emergency services secure the stretcher with the sick tourist on the basket of the turntable ladder. Then it goes down.

With an extraordinary action, a German holidaymaker was rescued from a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. The Italian military had to intervene in this case. (ml)