A man stood naked, clung to a window ledge in full view of TV crews, photographers, firefighters and onlookers as he tried to flee a burning transsexual brothel in Basel, Switzerland. But he preferred to risk burning rather than reveal his face to the cameras watching the blaze from below.

According to reports, the 33-year-old who works at a gay bar in Zurich said he was visiting a transsexual friend who works in the apartment and was not there to indulge in any of the unsavory transactions of the building’s reputation.

After partying with his transsexual friend–who he has known for 10 years–he spent the night, and woke up to find the apartment on fire. That’s when he fled to the window ledge, but refused to escape the blaze when he saw the media crew below. “I’m gay, but my family don’t know about me so I couldn’t show my face,” he told the Blick newspaper. He only left after firefighters promised to let him cover his face. “I just hope my family can’t tell who I am from my bottom,” he added.

NSFW nudie shots after the jump!