Firefighters swooped in to save the day Friday morning, rescuing two window washers stuck on a wild, windblown scaffolding ride high above NYC.
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First responders rushed to 25 Columbus Circle in Manhattan at 9:47 a.m. following a 911 report of window washers stranded on the building’s 78th floor, FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Trahan revealed during a Friday news conference per the New York Post.
The scaffold had detached from the building, left precariously secured only by safety lines when first responders arrived, Trahan reported.
Dramatic footage from the ground showed the scaffolding swaying violently and spinning in high winds, creating a nerve-wracking scene.
Window washers dangling high above the back of the #TimeWarner center near Columbus Circle as their basket smashed the windows and shards of glass rain down on the sidewalk. Crazy scene as #fdny secured the sidewalks #nyc pic.twitter.com/LsMCKJUr3P
— FSU WarChant (@jabootwin) February 28, 2025
The swaying scaffolding struck the side of the building, shattering a window on the 78th floor. It sent shards of glass raining down onto the street below, Trahan explained.
“When they got up onto the 78th floor, they saw the window was blown out, glass everywhere,” Trahan added.
Although the workers wore harnesses, they were not secured to safety lines, he revealed. Authorities cordoned off the street to ensure pedestrian safety, Trahan said.
Responding NYC Firefighter Recounts Rescue of Window Washers om 78th Floor of Skyscraper
Lieutenant Nick Schneider of Ladder Four, speaking at the press conference, described how the scaffolding was secured with ropes before FDNY used a “life-saving rope” anchored to an object inside the building to pull the two workers to safety.
The two window washers were quickly brought into the building and transported to Cornell Hospital. They were reported to be in stable condition, Trahan stated.
Schneider described the rush of air he felt while climbing to the 78th floor, emphasizing the danger faced by both the workers and the FDNY officials on site.
“It was extremely dangerous for, obviously, the occupants of the scaffolding, but initially when we got on scene it was extremely dangerous for members of the FDNY,” Schnieder recalled.
“We had to be careful for our members. We were operating essentially on the ledge of a 78-story building,” he added.
According to Schnieder, the apartment’s occupants were inside at the time of the incident.
No one inside the building or on the sidewalk below was injured by the shattered glass. The New York Department of Buildings said a private rigging company will remove the scaffolding basket.