An 18-story apartment tower in Berlin became the scene of a terrifying escape when a fire suddenly broke out on the 11th floor.

Trapped by flames and thick black smoke pouring from the windows, a woman climbed onto a tiny exterior ledge and carefully edged along the side of the building, high above the pavement. Two stories below, firefighters positioned an aerial rescue basket directly beneath her.

With nowhere else to go, she took a leap of faith, jumping two stories into the waiting basket, where a firefighter caught her and helped break her fall.

She survived the terrifying jump with only minor injuries, while firefighters went on to rescue dozens of other residents from the burning building.