A 34-year-old woman faces charges after emergency crews scaling a building and a construction crane while topless Thursday morning.

Toronto Police received calls around 6:30 a.m. that a woman had climbed up into the cab of a crane at a construction site at Lake Shore Blvd. and Dan Leckie Way, east of Bathurst St.

The woman climbed the building under construction and then up another 15 metres to the operator’s cab of the crane.

The emergency task force negotiating team along with Toronto Fire worked to get her down, but she was “hysterical,” making the rescue more difficult.

“The crews went up to talk to her but she didn’t want to comply. It makes a big difference when you are trying to get someone down and they aren’t co-operating,” Toronto Fire District Chief William Bygrave said.

The construction site isn’t operational at night, but does have security. It’s not clear how she gained access.

During the two hours it took to rescue the woman, Bygrave said the woman was out of control.

“She did damage, pulling out wires and throwing things,” he said.

Toronto Police said the woman ‘damaged the crane, rendering it inoperable.’

Eventually, the woman was calmed down enough for rescuers to get her into a T-shirt and a harness. She was handcuffed and taken to hospital via a police car for assessment.

“I have no reason to offer why she would do this,” Bygrave said.