Illinois Worker Rescued After Hours Trapped in Tall Sign

WHO:

Fox News - AJ Gow, a maintenance worker, was involved in the incident.

WHAT:

Fox News - AJ Gow spent over six hours trapped inside a 130-foot gas station sign.

NY Post - The worker was trapped for around six-and-a-half hours but managed to give a thumbs-up during the ordeal.

WHERE:

Fox News - The incident occurred in Wilmington, Illinois.

WHEN:

NY Post - The worker was trapped for nearly 7 hours.

HOW:

Fox News - The worker's boom lift malfunctioned during repair work, leading to the entrapment.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 16:26 UTC)

In a dramatic incident in Wilmington, Illinois, maintenance worker AJ Gow found himself trapped for nearly seven hours inside a 130-foot gas station sign after his boom lift malfunctioned during repair work. Despite the harrowing situation, Gow managed to give a thumbs-up to rescuers while he was stuck for over six hours. Thankfully, he was safely freed after enduring this challenging ordeal.