Two window washers who were stranded on Monday on the 21st story of a Houston high-rise were rescued by the local fire department who removed a nearby window, allowing the two men to climb to safety. The electric platform in use by the workers stalled halfway up the Marathon Oil Tower.
Emergency personnel were called. A ladder was extended from the open window, and, after safety lines were attached to both the workers and the platform, the trapped window washers were pulled safely into the building. Although the crew was reported to be in no immediate danger they were trapped for about an hour.
The Houston Fire Department reported that 40 firefighters responded to the scene.
It is unknown what caused the power failure to the platform. Fortunately the weather was mild, with only light winds and temperatures in the low 70s.
A similar incident in January caused two workers to be stranded outside Houston’s JP Morgan Chase Tower in January. They were working on a scaffolding that malfunctioned, and also had to be pulled in through a window.