HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Two workers were in need of rescue after their suspended platform collapsed from the side of a condominium building in Hallandale Beach, Wednesday.
According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, the collapse occurred at the Hemispheres Condominium at 1950 S. Ocean Drive at around 3 p.m.
As a result of the platform collapsing, the workers were left stuck by the seventh floor of the building. The platform itself hangs from the top of the building.
According to a board member of the homeowners association, the men were doing concrete restoration work on the building that is part of a multi-million dollar project.
Moments after arriving on the scene, firefighters found one worker, completely off the platform, gripping his harness, while another to his right, clung to the partially collapsed scaffolding.
A Broward Sheriff firefighter was able to rappel down to rescue one of the workers around 4:20 p.m., while the second worker was brought down by an aerial ladder bucket just after 4:30 p.m.
“They came down, tried to lower themselves down, and they got hung up,” said Kim Wedel.
“When the scaffolding starts falling, you can imagine what’s going through the guys’ minds, they were probably scared for their lives,” said Marc Atkins, a building resident.
According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, both workers were checked as a precaution and one of the workers was transported to an area hospital due to some soreness suffered from their harness, much to the relief of folks standing by watching it all.
“This is what they do, you know? If I was gonna have a moment of trouble, I would want these people here,” said Wedel.
The rescue took less than an hour.
“It’s emotional, it’s amazing. You’re just keeping your fingers crossed that nothing is going to happen to anybody,” said Wedel.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue said they took only two minutes to get to the condominium.
Both of the men rescued are said to be doing OK.
As for why the scaffolding came loose, it is under investigation.
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