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Watch the World Trade Center window-washer rescue live

Watch it here.

 

Miles Klee

Internet Culture

Posted on Nov 12, 2014   Updated on May 30, 2021, 5:35 am CDT

Two window washers dangled precariously alongside One World Trade Center after their scaffolding partially collapsed. They were 68 floors up. 

Manhattan *High Angle Rescue* Box 8084- 1 World Trade Center. Photo By: RavazziArt pic.twitter.com/emBPBEzr93

— NYC Fire Wire (@NYCFireWire) November 12, 2014

WTC window washers emergency pic.twitter.com/Yf7mzVUQSw

— David Clark Scott (@davidclarkscott) November 12, 2014

Two window washers are stuck dangling on WTC right now. Very, very scary. (View from 195 Broadway) pic.twitter.com/iLupLiZOrF

— Margot Wood (@margotwood) November 12, 2014

It was an inauspicious omen for what we used to call the “Freedom Tower,” which opened its doors just nine days ago. Firefighters opted to cut through a window and pull the imperiled workers inside. Just a normal day at work for everyone involved. 

MAN ALL HANDS 1 WORLD TRADE CENTER, HIGH RISE (WORLD TRADE CENTER) SCAFFOLDING EMERGENCY,

— FDNY (@FDNY) November 12, 2014

Now: #FDNY rescuing workers trapped on scaffolding outside 1 World Trade Center. View from the 68th floor. pic.twitter.com/3c7Oi8EZPD

— FDNY (@FDNY) November 12, 2014

First window washer safe inside World Trade Center, brought in through hole carved into window pic.twitter.com/a4xlmG1oSe

— Kia Makarechi (@Kia_Mak) November 12, 2014

Rescuers cut a window to reach the trapped washers. End. pic.twitter.com/mEaoK5MZHO

— Rodrigo (@RodrigoEBR) November 12, 2014

Here’s a livestream of what’s happening on the outside, courtesy of WABC-TV New York. We’ll be kissing the ground in the meanwhile.

Update Nov. 12, 2:20 ET: Both workers have been rescued by FDNY.

Photo by Javi Sánchez de la viña/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

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*First Published: Nov 12, 2014, 4:12 pm CST