Mission to free magpie trapped on fire station tower

Firefighters in Christchurch are known for rescuing cats stuck up trees or ducklings trapped in drains - but how about a magpie stuck on a fire station siren tower?

Construction workers spotted the bird which got its leg trapped on the Sumner Fire Station tower, prompting firefighters to launch an extraction mission.

The Sumner Volunteer Fire Brigade did not have an appropriate ladder at the time so firefighters from the central city station were called in to help free the magpie last Tuesday morning.

Chief Fire Officer Daryl Sayer said the brigade was pleased to see the “poor animal freed’’.

He was unsure how long the magpie had been trapped but was grateful the siren had not sounded on the day and harmed the bird’s hearing.

A firefighter climbed the appliance ladder to free the magpie at about 9.30am. He planned to free its trapped leg by hand.

“When he got up there, the magpie moved and the rotor within the siren unit moved. The leg was released and away it flew.”

Sayer said the brigade had dealt with trapped animals before, but never on the station itself.

“It’s good it could fly away with its hearing and leg intact.”