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Window washers rescued after being trapped on stalled scaffolding in downtown Pittsburgh

Window washers rescued after being trapped on stalled scaffolding in downtown Pittsburgh
Window washers rescued after being trapped on stalled scaffolding in downtown Pittsburgh 01:35

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Window washers have been rescued after they were trapped on a stalled scaffolding platform in downtown Pittsburgh on Friday.

Emergency responders were alerted to a report of the workers being trapped on a platform outside 500 Ross Street at 11:35 a.m. Friday morning.

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Pittsburgh Public Safety

Two workers were trapped on the scaffolding structure between the seventh and eighth floors of the building after the platform lost power, according to a report from Pittsburgh Public Safety.

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Pittsburgh Public Safety

Paramedics and building engineers were sent to the roof and were able to reset the system and bring the workers safely up to the roof.

Additional first responders were on standby in the event the scaffolding was lowered at any point.

"This happens occasionally where the scaffolding will generally lose power and get stuck," an emergency responder said. "We usually take a non-intervention approach because of the heights involved, and usually, as long as no one is injured and they're safe and stable, we try to let the mechanics and engineers work out the problem first before we try to go and rescue."

The rescue was completed at 12:35 p.m. Medics also evaluated the workers who were not injured.

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