A tense situation unfolded at the Midah MRT Station in Kuala Lumpur after a Taiwanese man was seen behaving erratically while standing dangerously on the ledge of the station building.
The incident drew concern from commuters and passersby before emergency responders successfully rescued him.
Reportedly lost control of emotions
A witness of the incident told WeirdKaya the incident took place at around 3pm and he left the scene when it started to rain.
According to a report by China Press, the local fire department received a distress call at 3.29pm.
The man, believed to be in his 30s, allegedly lost control of his emotions inside the station.
Witnesses said he removed his shirt, leaving himself half-naked before climbing over the pedestrian bridge railing and squatting on the edge of the structure.
People nearby reported that the man appeared extremely unstable and was seen repeatedly wiping dirty surfaces such as the floor and walls with his hands before putting his hands into his mouth.
His unusual behaviour shocked many onlookers at the scene.
Rescuers contacted family in Taiwan
Authorities quickly deployed about 20 rescue personnel to the location.
As communication was difficult due to language barriers, several helpful Chinese-speaking members of the public stepped forward to assist as translators.
During the standoff, the man reportedly threw his mobile phone and what appeared to be an expired Republic of China (Taiwan) passport onto the road below.
Rescuers later unlocked the phone and managed to contact his mother in Taiwan, arranging a video call in hopes that hearing from family would calm him down.
However, he initially showed little response.
Rescue operation ends after one hour
After about one hour of negotiation and persuasion by rescuers and members of the public, the situation gradually stabilised.
At 4.38pm, firefighters seized the opportunity to safely pull the man away from the ledge.
Authorities confirmed that the man was not carrying any weapons. He has since been handed over to the police for further investigation, while the reason behind the incident remains unclear.
READ ALSO:
