911 Tapes: Witnesses Stunned By Window Washers' Ride

SwoLy-D · Dec 2, 2005

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/5448287/detail.html

TMac640 · Dec 2, 2005

yeah saw that on the news

crazy **** O_O

noize · Dec 2, 2005

I wonder how much these guys get paid for a high rise window washing? Thats one of the scarriest job to have, dangling on a cart, goin as high as 100 stories...thats just crazy.

SwoLy-D · Dec 2, 2005

TMac640 said:

yeah saw that on the news

crazy **** O_O
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A buddy sent me the link, then he said he heard it on the BUZZ. Do you know what that " o_o " reminds me of, T?

By the way, Theresa is a very, very handsome young lady.

studogg · Dec 2, 2005

did yall notice the link on the side about the man having sex with a horse?

this is a strange, strange world

Lil Pun · Dec 2, 2005

I saw this on PTI the other day. They asked what is the chance these guys will be hired again to wash windows. I forgot what they said though.

SwoLy-D · Dec 2, 2005

studogg said:

did yall notice the link on the side about the man having sex with a horse?

this is a strange, strange world
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I don't know what you think is strange:
The Internet Existing?
Links Making the Internet Work?
Pages having sides?
You noticing things?
Last, but not least: Men having sex with horses?

I know which one you meant. Yes, web pages have links.

JuanValdez · Dec 2, 2005

For folks who can't be bothered clicking links (like me half the time):

911 Tapes: Witnesses Stunned By Window Washers' Ride
Firefighters Describe Risky Rescue

POSTED: 9:01 pm MST December 1, 2005

DENVER -- As two window washers dangled from a Denver high rise, a lot of people saw what happened and called it in.

Most of the 911 calls from witnesses were surprisingly calm. But so many calls came in with such bated breath that it was obvious that the biggest concern for the callers was that the window washers hang on as long as they could.

"I was expecting to see two people die," said witness Bret McDermott. "A lot of the women in my department were turning their heads and screaming, praying to God that wouldn't happen."

Witnesses saw the two window washers hanging on for their lives as the moving platform was tossed in the air over and over again. They said that the platform looked like it was about to break.

Almost immediately, Denver's 911 center was flooded with calls.

"I work at a building and the building north of me on the corner of 18th and Arapahoe ... There are some window washers that are hanging down. Ummm, it appears their lead line has been tangled," said one 911 caller.

The platform swung wildly back and forth and around, smashing windows on the Denver Place Plaza Tower, located at 1099 18th St.

Strong winds blew the shattered glass all over the streets, leaving a mess and putting people in danger below.

The two window washers, Hector Esterdo and Oscar Gonzales, were eventually rescued. Firefighters got to the 12th floor and had to break a window to pull the men to safety.

They used a rope to pull one end of the platform toward the building; then slowly Esterdo and Gonzales stepped inside.

"When we got there, it wasn't moving at all. It was just sitting against a building because I actually looked up as we got off the elevator. Then seeing that thing fly all over, everything changed. Until we got the men out, it was probably about a minute of chaos. Yeah, it was just that fast," said Denver firefighter Dallas Sherman.

"All the stars had to be aligned for us. It was a one-shot deal. If we weren't there at that time and that platform hadn't hit that window, it could've been a lot worse for us and for them," said Denver Fire Lt. Scott Lang. "They didn't say anything but their eyes were huge. They had a definite look in their eyes. They were shaken."

7NEWS spoke with Esterdo's wife over the phone. She said when her husband and Gonzales decided to wash the windows, the wind wasn't that strong. She said had they known that was going to change, they wouldn't have worked Wednesday.

As frightening as the scene was to watch, some people are just now realizing how lucky they were as the broken glass shards from the windows dropped 12 stories.

One man wasn't hurt, but said he went inside the Denver Place Plaza Tower building just minutes before the glass walls came tumbling down onto his car.

His red 1988 Oldsmobile was completely pelted.

"Some people say it looks like a hailstorm. But a pretty major hailstorm," said Don Michael, describing his car.

Michael was on a sales call when he heard firefighters warn people not to walk out the 18th Street door.

"I thought to myself, 'What does that mean?'" he said.

That meant his earlier good fortune had turned bad.

"I was so psyched because I had the best parking place," said Michael, smiling.

His car's two largest windows were destroyed. Insurance will cover those repairs, but the car may be totaled because of its extensive dents, scrapes, and dings.

"At least, I wasn't walking to the car, I wasn't in the car," said Michael.

He didn't get to retrieve his car until Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, the Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration is still investigating the cause. It could be up to a month before they find out exactly what happened.
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