DUNEDIN, Fla. — A muralist hired to paint turtle imagery on a Dunedin water tower believes he was stuck in his basket for about an hour before rescuers could safely bring him back down to the ground.
The man, Tom Stovall, said he was wrapping up for the day because of rain in the area. As he was heading down, the equipment he uses had somehow stopped functioning.
Dunedin Fire and Rescue confirmed a call for help went out around 2 p.m. from the area of Curlew Road and Bayshore Boulevard. Stovall was seen just "hanging there" for a time, authorities added.
Live video from Sky 10 showed Stovall suspended above the ground but still attached to the 100-150 foot tower. A rescuer was able to rappel down the tower, strap Stovall in and cling together on way to the ground.
Stovall said he'll have to use a ladder to continue working on the project.
It's not Stovall's first time creating murals this high above in Tampa Bay. He's done work for the Northeast Water Reclamation Facility, the Crescent Lake water tower and the Seminole water tower.
Stovall said he feels grateful for the first responders who arrived quickly. He adds he felt safe the whole time and wanted to speak to news outlets to honor their work.
"I certainly got an overwhelming feeling of emotion and thankfulness for their efforts," Stovall said. "They're very special people."
The first responders consisted of members of the Pinellas County Technical Rescue team.