Authorities in Arlington rescued a worker from a construction crane after he suffered a medical emergency while working.

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The call came in shortly after 2 p.m.

The crane operator collapsed inside the soaring crane cab. A special tactical rescue team sprang into action and started the climb to the 250-foot high perch.

“I heard he can’t breathe,” said construction worker David Guevara.

Arlington officials say the rescue workers scaled the crane as quickly as possible to get to the operator, apparently in a life and death situation.

“They had to climb up there to assess the situation and to bring him out of the cab,” said Gregg Karl of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

After scaling the crane the rescue team began treatment. Once lowered into the level below the cab, they called for a stretcher to be raised to the top to lower it to the ground and get him to a hospital.

The incident is at N. Oak Street and Clarendon Boulevard. N. Oak Street between N. 16th Road and N. 17th Street are shut down due to the incident.