Building firm reassures JLT residents that climbers scaling 150 metre crane were workers

Neighbours filmed what they thought were 'daredevils' on top of a half-built apartment block

The climber stands arms outstretched on a crane above Wind Tower. Courtesy: Loredana Matei

A construction firm has reassured neighbours who saw people walking along a crane on an empty building in Dubai that the men were safety workers.

Two men were spotted on the crane above Wind Tower One and Two in Jumeirah Lakes Towers at about 6am on Sunday.

A worried neighbour filmed the men scaling a 150-metre-tall crane in Dubai due to fears over the rising trend of 'daredevil-selfies'.

Although witnesses could not see any safety equipment in place, a construction firm responsible for maintenance said the men were authorised to be there.

The crew undertaking it is fully prepared, equipped and certified to do so in line with health and safety measures

Building contractor Beijing Emirates International Construction Company reassured neighbours the men were completing "preventive maintenance works" and all health and safety considerations were taken.

“This is part of routine and scheduled maintenance works and the crew undertaking it is fully prepared, equipped and certified to do so in line with health and safety measures,” a spokeswoman said.

The company also said there was 24-hour security at the building to prevent any unauthorised access.

Wind Tower One and Two are 138 metres high. Both apartment blocks are unoccupied.

One has a crane on top, although work there has been suspended. Property records show the buildings in Cluster B of JLT were due to be completed in January 2017 but have been put on hold.

Residents and police have reported a series of incidents in the past.

Images posted on social media to encourage Instagram and Facebook likes is a lethal game of one-upmanship from daredevils around the world looking for that perfect 'selfie'.

Dubai Police has previously warned individuals they face legal action if caught taking selfies on rooftops.

A report in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care on globally reported ‘selfie’ deaths recorded 259 incidents between October 2011 and November 2017.

The average age of victims was 23, with 72 per cent of fatalities occurring in men and the highest number of incidents recorded in India, Russia, America and Pakistan.

In 2017, Russian model Viki Odintcova received a police warning after a video of her hanging from the roof of the 300-metre Cayan Tower in Dubai Marina was published. It was viewed more than 1.2 million times.

British 'daredevils' Harry Gallagher and James Kingston have also filmed and posted footage of themselves climbing high-rise buildings around Dubai and been warned by UAE authorities.