2 window washers rescued after getting stuck 17 stories up in Irvine

Firefighters rescued two window washers stuck near the top of a 19-story Irvine high-rise Wednesday, authorities said.

The two men were stuck outside the building about 17 stories up after they discovered a problem with one of their platform’s cables, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

After lowering safety harnesses to the workers, firefighters helped them replace the problem cable, Concialdi said.

The window washers then were able to slowly raise themselves to the building’s roof, but it was a painstaking process because one side of the platform was raised by a motor but the other side had to be hand-cranked, according to the OCFA.

“They were working in unison to raise it up inch by inch,” Concialdi said. That process took about an hour.

Dozens of firefighters including urban search-and-rescue teams had responded to the scene at 4 Park Plaza at about 9:30 a.m. when the OCFA received word the pair needed help, according to Concialdi.

When the window washers finally made it to the roof just before 1 p.m., they were hungry but unhurt, Concialdi said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck