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Two workers rescued from Fort Lauderdale scaffold collapse(South Florida Sun-Sentinel (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 13--FORT LAUDERDALE -- Two window washers were rescued Wednesday afternoon after their scaffold collapsed and they were left dangling high up the side of a 17-story condo building. Fort Lauderdale firefighters rappeled down the White Egret condos at 2200 Northeast 33rd Avenue to reach the workers after getting the trouble call at about 2:20 p.m. Part of the dramatic rescue was televised nationally. One of the workers was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with minor injuries, said Battalion Chief William Findlan. The other worker declined to be treated. Findlan did not have their names. It was not clear what caused the scaffold to collapse. One worker was rescued clinging to the scaffolding on the 14th floor, while the other was hanging from his harness nine stories up. "It was obviously a precarious situation for them," Findlan said. George Denesevich, who owns the Peaceful Dove Inn in front of the condos, said he heard a loud noise and ran outside. He looked up and saw the scaffolding had collapsed. "As I looked a little closer, I saw the other guy dangling," Denesevich said. "He definitely looked hurt." Findlan said the workers had probably been hanging for about 45 minutes before firefighters hauled them into the building. Both had their safety harnesses on, he said. A fire department 100-foot ladder truck assisted in the rescue. Darlene Fossum, director of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration's Fort Lauderdale office, said such accidents involving suspended scaffolds have been rare in South Florida. "We have not had a lot of issues with that in South Florida in the recent past," Fossum said. Fossum said her office is investigating the accident. To see more of The South Florida Sun-Sentinel or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sun-sentinel.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |