2 Workers Inspecting Roosevelt Island Building Facade Rescued By FDNY Firefighters After Scaffolding Platform Collapses Leaving Them Dangling Above Main Street Today

Earlier today, workers inspecting the building facade at 475 Main Street on Roosevelt Island were rescued by FDNY firefighters

Image From Erin Feeley-Nahem

after the worker's suspended scaffolding platform partially collapsed 

leaving them dangling from the 5th floor above Main Street.

Image From Erin Feeley-Nahem

According to FDNY Battalion 45 Chief Gallagher:

... one worker was hanging on a safety rope off the scaffolding, one worker on a safety rope was still on the scaffolding... 

Units put up their ladder... Rescue company arrived on scene. they train a lot on this kind of stuff. They went to the roof. They lowered a rope. They secured the workers.

The workers were safely taken into apartment 5F on the fifth floor. They were not injured. 

Units did a great job. This is what they trained to do and they operated perfectly....

Chief Gallagher added that the NYC Buildings Department will investigate how this happened. 

ABC Channel 7 reporter Michelle Charleworth asked the firefighters who rescued the dangling workers what happened:

@FDNY HERO RESCUERS! Two window washers rescued from a rake that collapsed out of nowhere on Roosevelt Island. Screaming for help. Not injured. Firefighters pulled them in a window on the sixth floor. Unoccupied apartment. Thank goodness for the FDNY & strong harnesses.@ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/kok1G7naEc

— MichelleCharlesworth (@mcharlesworth7) May 11, 2022

@FDNY at window washer rescue. 6 floors up! Suddenly the workers felt their world turn upside down! Firefighters were able to extend a ladder in minutes, open a window in a sixth floor apartment, & pull the 2 men inside. No one was living there. No one hurt. pic.twitter.com/iPYJEdqja4

— MichelleCharlesworth (@mcharlesworth7) May 11, 2022

Roosevelt Island resident Kaja Meade shares video of the incident too.

The Riverwalk Roosevelt Island 475 Main St building is used for Memorial Sloan Kettering staff housing.

UPDATE 8:40 PM - Later in the afternoon, workers were back inspecting the facade of next door building at 465 Main Street. 

Not known if these were the same workers rescued earlier by FDNY.