Two window washers clung to their lives in Mission Bay

Two window washers clung to their lives in Mission Bay Thursday morning when their scaffolding broke 16 stories above the ground, according to SFGate.

While cleaning a high-rise luxury condominium at 300 Berry Street, Raul Aguilar and his nephew Benito Aguilar were saved by their safety harnesses when the scaffolding gave way beneath them -- half of it crashing to the courtyard below. The pair dangled from the roof while waiting for rescue teams to arrive.

According to CBS, both men were pulled to safety by rescue whttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giforkers, but were immediately transported to San Francisco General for injuries.

Tony Aguilar, Benito's cousin, had been washing windows down the street when he heard about the incident and rushed to the scene. He told SFGate, "I came over here and saw the scaffold hanging."

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Two window washers are lucky to be alive after part of a scaffolding gave way and left them dangling 14 stories high on a Mission Bay apartment building Thursday morning.

Passersby gasped as fire crews rushed to the building at 300 Berry St. just after 8:30 a.m. The scaffolding hung vertically, but the workers did not fall because they were wearing harnesses, San Francisco fire spokeswoman Lt. Mindy Talmadge said.

Firefighters pulled one of the men onto the roof. The other man was rescued through a 14th floor apartment. The residents of that room were on vacation in Ireland, a neighbor said.

One of the workers was transported to San Francisco General Hospital with serious injuries, Talmadge said. The other went to SFGH with minor injuries, she said.

The window washers were identified as Raul Aguilar and his nephew Benito Aguilar.

Rodney Blanchard, an installation and repairman with AT&T who had a job in the building, filmed the harrowing scene on his cellphone.

"I'm just glad they're okay," Blanchard said.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating. The owner of the window washing company said that a davit that is attached to the building and is supposed to secure the scaffolding snapped.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/08/window-washers-survive-soma-scaffolding-mishap#ixzz1U5u8urP2