Reported high-rise crane stunt dubbed 'risky' and 'dangerous'

What appears to be a stunt on a crane high above London, Ont. is gaining traction online and disdain from some viewers and emergency officials.

In the video, a person suspends them self from a construction crane on Talbot Street, near Dufferin Avenue.

While the poster labels it AI-generated, the video appears to have some legitimate components.

It begins with a person on the boom of the crane’s arm who gradually moves further toward the tip. Once they get there, a second camera, set up some distance away, shows the climber suspended and swinging back and forth further out on the crane.

Next, we see emergency officials arrive and the adventurer fleeing through the building to the street.

Among those who have viewed the video is a Western University Sociology Professor with expertise in trending online videos.

“It really scared me," said Kaitlyn Mendes in an interview with CTV News London. "You know the bird’s eye view of the person swinging from that crane was really terrifying.”

While that portion may or may not be genuine, Mendes said posting it online presents a risk.

“Even if it is AI generated, it doesn’t necessarily stop other people from wanting to participate in these sorts of activities," she warned.

London police have declined to comment on the video, which appears to have been filmed during late winter or early spring, but was only posted online last week.

The London Fire Department confirmed it responded to a call at the same building in the video on the morning of Feb. 11, 2024.

Pointing to the 2018 'crane girl' case in Toronto, Platoon Chief Colin Shewell stated such acts risk serious injury to responding firefighters (should they need to perform a rescue) and ties up resources.

Mendes also points to past copycat attempts that have ended with tragic results, "We’ve seen this lead to some really tragic cases. I can remember one really vividly in the U.K., where a teenage boy took part in some sort of challenge, where he fell and hit his head. He fell into a coma and sadly passed away.”

Mendes supports consequences for dangerous online stunts but argues that counter-messaging is perhaps the best deterrent.

“Are there other types of risk that are maybe a bit more measured? That maybe don’t have such severe consequences, like a criminal record or dying,” said Mendes.