Dangling from the 78th Floor... Building Exterior Cleaner Dramatically Rescued

Two cleaners who were cleaning the exterior of a high-rise building in New York, USA, were trapped in a gondola due to strong winds but were rescued dramatically.

According to CBS News and others in the US, an emergency rescue request was received around 9:45 a.m. local time on the 28th of last month at a high-rise building located on West 58th Street.

At the time, the two cleaners were cleaning the exterior near the 78th floor when the work gondola was violently shaken by strong winds and hit the building's glass windows several times. They were wearing safety belts, but the gondola itself was not secured with safety devices. Eventually, the gondola struck the glass windows forcefully, breaking some of them, and glass shards fell onto the sidewalk, creating a dangerous situation. The cleaners had to wait precariously hanging for 15 minutes to be rescued.

Cleaning workers trapped in a 78-story high gondola. YouTube

Footage from the accident shows the gondola carrying the cleaners swinging widely outward from the building and then hitting the glass windows again. More than three glass windows were broken, and glass shards poured onto the sidewalk. The cleaners reportedly barely held on while secured by their safety belts. The police explained, "The gondola shook violently every time it hit the building." Rescue workers at the scene also said, "I can't believe what I saw," and "The workers were not fully secured."

Fortunately, there were no casualties from this accident. However, a bystander who witnessed the incident said, "It was horrifying to see the gondola shaking for 15 minutes," and "Broken glass pieces fell onto the sidewalk."

Cleaning workers trapped in a 78-story high gondola. YouTube

The fire department, which responded to the report, secured the gondola with ropes to stop it and safely rescued the cleaners inside the building. The rescued cleaners received emergency treatment and were transported to the hospital, and their lives are not in danger.

Meanwhile, authorities temporarily closed nearby roads due to concerns about additional falling glass shards. They also plan to verify through an on-site investigation whether related safety regulations were properly followed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.