Window Washers Rescued From Lower Manhattan Scaffolding

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It was a tense few moments for two window washers who were stuck on the side of a lower Manhattan building.

The workers became stuck at around 1:10 p.m. Monday approximately 20 stories up on the south side of 290 Broadway, at Reade Street.

The platform the washers were on was stable and not dangling at an angle.

Rescuers with the Fire Department were forced to cut the glass from a window near the stuck platform and pulled the workers to safety at around 1:45 p.m., 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.

"There was no way to get them out, the windows aren't openable," the deputy fire chief said.

So rescuers lowered ropes to secure the window washers to the building in case their scaffold gave way while firefighters cut through the double-pane window on the 21st floor, Stern reported.

"It took a little while and basically just cutting the panes of glass and making sure everything was done safely and slowly because there was no rush," the deputy fire chief said.

With the glass cut, additional ropes were attached to the window washers as a precaution before they were helped through the open window.

The rescue effort caused street closures and traffic trouble in the area. Click here to check the current conditions.

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