A man is refusing to come down from a crane at a construction site in Melbourne as police enter their fifth hour of tense negotiations.
Emergency services rushed to High Street in Thomastown, about 16km north of Melbourne’s CBD, at 1.45am on Friday following reports of a fire.
Fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze, which police believe may have been deliberately lit.
While on the scene, officers spotted a man clinging to a crane high-up over the construction site.
He refused to get out of the crane, sparking tense police negotiations.
The man was reportedly naked for some time but has since agreed to put pants on as police enter their fifth hour of negotiations.
Motorists are being urged to avoid the area as High Street has been shut down in both directions between Main Street and Pleasant Road.
Commuters are advised to use Edgars Road or Dalton Road as alternative routes.
Police have entered their fifth hour of negotiations but the man (pictured) still refuses to come down out of the crane on High Street in Thomastown
Emergency services spotted the man high-up on a crane above a construction site in Melbourne’s north following a suspicious fire
Motorists are being urged to avoid the area as High Street has been shut down in both directions between Main Street and Pleasant Road
