Detroit firefighters said they rescued a window washer just after noon on Thursday.
Joseph Sjobolom said he was washing windows on a parking garage when a ring securing the rope to the chair in which he was sitting failed. However, Sjobolom was wearing a safety harness.
Sjobolom was dangling from the 12th floor of the Port-Atwater parking garage, about 70 feet above the ground. The garage is located east of the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, Local 4 reported.
Firefighters said the rescue took roughly 20 minutes. A ladder had to be extended to his feet as he dangled.
"We extended a ladder very carefully to make sure that the rungs didn't crush his ankles," Detroit Fire Capt. Courtney Minion said. "The ladder gave us an extra measure of safety in case he did slip or the rope broke."
Once the ladder was in place and a firefighter was in place below him, rescuers above Sjobolom pulled him to safety while people cheered from the street below.
"I've never had in accident in 12 years," Sjobolom said. "It was very scary."
Sjobolom works for Transparent Window Co. of Pontiac. A representative said it was a freak accident and this is why workers wear safety harnesses.
