Window washer rescued after dangling on the side of Kansas City’s tallest building
Firefighters pulled a window washer to safety after his main harness broke, leaving him dangling off Kansas City’s tallest building Tuesday morning, a fire department spokesman said.
Firefighters responded shortly before 10:15 a.m. to the 1200 block of Baltimore Avenue on a report of a window washer stuck on the side of One Kansas City Place, said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins with the Kansas City Fire Department.
The first crews arriving reported that the window washer was suspended near the 23rd floor of the 42-story building.
The window washer’s main harness was being suspended by his back-up harness. Although he was uninjured, the window washer could not operate his hoisting system, Hopkins said. The window washer’s partner remained with him to keep him calm while firefighters responded.
As firefighters responded to the 23rd floor and the roof to prepare a rescue from the roof, a worker with Santa Fe Glass who was there for another job was walking through the lobby. Hopkins said firefighters requested his assistance.
The worker was taken to the 23rd floor and removed the window from the inside. Firefighters then reached out and pulled the window washer to safety. Hopkins said this kept rescuers from going over the roof’s edge and hoisting the window washer several hundred feet to safety.
Hopkins said the glass worker was “truly at the right place and the right time.”
This story was originally published September 24, 2024 at 12:43 PM.
