Dec 6, 2007 2:12 pm US/Pacific
Workers Dangle As SF Building Scaffold Collapses
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / KCBS / AP / BCN) ―
Three workers were left dangling from a collapsed scaffolding outside a high-rise building undergoing construction in San Francisco on Thursday and fire crews had to rescue them.
The reason for the collapse, which occured at the Golden Gateway Apartments at 440 Davis St. near Jackson Street and the Embarcadero, was not immediately known. Authorities speculated that there was an equipment failure.
The three construction workers were left dangling in midair by safety harnesses between the 18th and 19th floors - but all were eventually brought to safety, SFFD Lt. Mindy Talmadge said.
The building stands 22 stories high and workers were conducting maintenance and cleaning at the time of the incident.
One of the dangling workers was able to reach a roof-top balcony and then managed to pull a co-worker to safety. The remaining worker was rescued by firefighters - who pulled him through a window on the 19th floor, Talmadge said.
Minor shoulder and leg injuries were apparently suffered by the workers, witnesses and authorities said. The three were transported to local hospitals for evaluation.
Two of the stranded workers were men and the third was a woman; they were described by observers as visibly shaken after the incident.
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