The scaffolding at 230 West 78th Street can be seen dangling. Photo by an anonymous tipster.
A man and woman who had been working on the facade at 230 West 78th Street dangled precariously to the building when one side of the scaffolding they were standing on gave way, according to news reports on the scene.
It’s not clear what made the scaffolding give way around 4:30 p.m., but the two workers were suddenly in a dangerous spot.
Photo by Avital Katz.
“A man was stuck on a window ledge while a woman was stuck on the collapsed scaffolding,” ABC reported. “The high-angle rescue involved firefighters repelling down from the roof and attaching themselves to the victims. Other firefighters could be seen in the floors above and the floors below where the rigging let loose.”
A close-up of the firefighter rescuing the person on the ledge.
It was not 230 West 78th. That is on the South Side. It was 2200 Broadway across the sreet.
— “‘The high-angle rescue involved firefighters repelling down from the roof’…”
Rapelling, not “repelling”. Yes, I know it’s a quote from ABC, but they should know better.
Whatever it’s called, thanks to the firefighters for doing it and for bravely saving lives.
Thanks for the correction Cato
I do work on scaffolds and keep on telling my colleagues it is not repelling but rappelling
They don’t get it!!!!
Glad that you caught this – and it’s “rappelling,” actually!
We got the point but it’s spelled rappelling.
Firefighters are some of the bravest people on the planet! Hats off and several rounds of heartfelt thanks.
Yay for these firefighters!! And also hats off to these window washers… they dangle from high places every day, I’m sure this is their worst nightmare. So glad they made it down safely!
Now that’s a bad day.
Glad everyone is safe! Hats off and many thanks to the amazing firefighters!!
We are so fortunate tp have such brave fire fighters! Thank you a million times for what you do for us.
Excellent work by the firefighters.
I needed some good news today.
Where’s the DOB to find out what went wrong and issue some hefty fines?
Getting what is known as a Special Riggers License which allows you to put hanging scaffolding outside a building is a big deal with the Dept of Buildings. Who supervised the installation and the lateral movement of the scaffolding? No doubt the untrained workers were left to set up and move the scaffolding around the building. The license holder is definitely going to lose their license and possibly worse for them no insurer will touch them in the future.
Unfortunately in the past a lot of smaller contractors “borrow” licenses from other companies to secure high dollar Manhattan scaffolding work.
Glad nobody was seriously injured.
Thankfully these brave folks are ok.
I can’t help but be reminded of a similar scene in “IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD.”