A pair of unsecured window washers had the fright of their lives Friday when the wind seized their scaffold, sending it twisting and turning almost eight stories up -- and smashing into the luxury Manhattan high-rise they were cleaning.
Authorities say the two workers were on a scaffold outside the 78th floor of 25 Columbus Circle when their rig started swinging wildly out of control. It slammed into an apartment window as it was tossed back and forth by whipping winds.
Chunks of broken glass rained down onto 58th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, though no injuries were reported. The area was blocked off for some time.
Video posted to the Citizen app showed the scaffold twisting in the air.
According to the FDNY, firefighters rushed upstairs to save the two men. Rescue workers were able to haul the scaffold close enough to the building to rescue the window washers.
"They were able to throw the lines over inside the bucket and secure them, so after that they were able to bring them into the building," said FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Trahan.
Both were taken to a hospital as a precaution and both are expected to be OK. The workers said the men had harnesses, but they were not tethered. It's not clear why they weren't secured at the time of the incident.
The Department of Buildings was also investigating. The area around 58th Street was reopened shortly after the workers were rescued.
