KOCO 5 team coverage of Devon Tower rescue - OKC, OK - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

Two window cleaners experienced terrifying moments as their lift swung violently back and forth from the crane, smashing into the Devon Tower over and over as rescuers tried to stabilize the lift and rescue the two men. The area was evacuated due to glass flying 50 stories/800 feet to the ground below.

News 5 has a full video showing the lift swinging and the rescue efforts.

Article text:

ANNOUNCER: YOU ARE WATCHING KOCO 5. BREAKING NEWS IS HAPPENING NOW. >> BREAKING NEWS. A CLEANING CREW SWINGING DANGEROUSLY IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA. >> EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE THERE , TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WILL SAFELY GET THIS PERSON AND NOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE DOWN. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, SOMEONE ATTEMPTING THE RESCUE. ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THIS IS THE PERSON THAT WAS UP THERE. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ATTEMPTING TO RESCUE. YOU WONDER IF THERE IS NOT SOME TYPE OF SAFETY PEACE THEY CAME". -- CAME UNHOOKED. >> THE SPEED IT IS SWINGING BACK AND FORTH, WE THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS PUSHING OFF FOR THE BUILDING. THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF IT IS WIND, THE POLY SYSTEM -- POLICE SYSTEM, THE RAIN -- CRANE. IF YOU’RE JUST NOW TURNING YOUR TV ON, 8:05, HAPPENING LIVE RIGHT NOW, A CREW HANGING OFF THE TOP OF THE DEVON TOWER. WE ARE NOT SURE. WE ARE TRYING TO BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT WE ARE SHOWING. >> IT SEEMS THIS WOULD NORMALLY BE TETHERED IN ANOTHER WAY. THAT IS A FIREFIGHTER ATTEMPTING THIS RESCUE. ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, IS THE MAN THEY ARE TRYING TO GET DOWN SAFELY. THE IDEA OF LOWERING THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN, THOSE OF EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE TRYING TO THROW ROPE TO GET THEM TO STEADY THE RESCUE. TO SEE THIS BANGING AGAINST THE DEVON TOWER TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY. YOU ARE JUST HOPING THIS IS A STRONG POLICE SYSTEM -- PULLY SYSTEM. >> LOOKS LIKE THE GUY ON THE LEFT FOR SAFETY PURPOSES IS HARNESSED INTO THIS ENCLOSURE. YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT WAS THERE JUST IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. A WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS PLAYING OUT IN FRONT OF US. THIS THROWS THEIR BODY. >> YOU CAN SEE A FIREFIGHTER ON THE LEFT. A MAN THERE ON THE RIGHT. IT IS JUST SWINGING BACK AND FORTH, HITTING THE CRANE, SIDES OF THE BUILDING. ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, YOU SEE THE SHATTERED GLASS WHERE THIS LIFT HAS PERMEATED THE BUILDING. IT IS COMING WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT HAS SHATTERED GLASS OF THE DEVON TOWER AS THIS HAS BECOME LOOSE AND A SWINGING AROUND. SKY 5 OVER THE SCENE RIGHT NOW. SOME OF THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE GOTTEN TO THE HIGHER LEVEL IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SIDE OF THIS ENCLOSURE, YOU HOPE THIS DOES NOT FLIP UPSIDE DOWN. YOU CAN SEE THE MAN ON THE LEFT IS HARNESSED IN. WHAT IF THIS WERE TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN. THIS IS FRIGHTENING. WE COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT WE WERE SEEING WHEN WE SAW THESE IMAGES. WE ARE PRAYING FOR THEM. >> IT IS KNOCKING THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING WHICH -- WITH THE SUCH FORCE COME YOU ARE WONDERING HOW IT IS FUNCTIONING. IT SEEMS TO BE AT THIS LEVEL AND HAS BEEN FOR LAST SEVERAL MINUTES. FIRE CREWS ON THE LEFT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY CAN DO. WE HAVE SEEN THEM THROW A ROPE TO THIS LIFT TO SOMEHOW STEADY WHAT IS GOING ON THERE. THE WINDS RIGHT NOW ARE NOT THAT BAD. THERE IS THAT TO BE THANKFUL FOR, THAT IT IS NOT DEVASTATING GUST. >> WOULD IT BE WORSE THIS HIGH UP AT THE TOP OF THE DEVON TOWER? >> IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WINDS ARE STRONGER. THE TOWER IS 500 TO 600 FEET IN THE AIR, SO THE WINDS COULD BE STRONGER. DOWN AT THE SURFACE, WIND GUSTS ARE ONLY 15 MILES PER HOUR IN DOWNTOWN OKC, SO NOT TERRIBLE AT THE SURFACE. CLEARLY STRONGER UP THERE CAUSING THIS TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH LIKE THIS. >> CHASE RUTLEDGE IS SAYING YOU CAN FEEL THE WIND UP THERE. YOU IMAGINE THE FIREFIGHTERS DOWN BELOW ARE WAITING JUST IN CASE. YOU WONDER WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE PULLEY SYSTEM, THIS IS THE FIFTH ATTEMPT TO GET THAT ROPE TO THE FIREFIGHTER ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE ASSISTING IN THIS RESCUE OPERATION. WERE THEY DOING SOME WORK ON THE TOWER? WITH A CLEANING WINDOWS? WE ARE NOT SURE. I GOT THE CALL ABOUT THIS GOING ON. WE CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS STILL GOING ON. SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD ONLY TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES. >> LOOK AT THE BUILDING WHERE THE GLASS IS BROKEN. EVERY TIME IT HITS, MORE DEBRIS IS FALLING DOWN. THEY ARE PROBABLY HAVING TO TELL PEOPLE TO GET AWAY, FALLING GLASS, METAL. YOU IMAGINE THE AREA AROUND THIS BUILDING IS TRYING TO BE PROTECTED FROM THIS AND WARNED ABOUT IT. ? >> THINK OF THE HER ROCKS OF THE PERSON WHO AGREED TO GO UP THERE AS THIS LIFT CONTINUES TO FLY AROUND. WE GO BACK INTO THE CENTER OF THE BUILDING, THEN SWING OUT OVER PAST OF THE STRUCTURE INTO THE AIR. IT CONTINUES TO SWING. THEY ARE TRYING TO THROW A ROPE TO ONE OF THE RESCUERS IN THAT BASKET RIGHT NOW. THERE THEY GO AGAIN. THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET THERE ROPE THERE, HOW THAT WILL BE USED TO STEADY WHAT THEY’RE DOING, THEN GET THE MAN ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OUT OF THAT LEFT. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THE CRANE WORKING. I DON’T KNOW IF IT IS MALFUNCTIONING. >> MAY BE THE PERSON HAS NOT GOTTEN THERE YET. >> IT LOOKS LIKE A PERSON IS TRYING TO WORK ON IT FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THAT TO WORK TO GET THESE GUYS DOWN. I DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING IN THIS SITUATION. >> HOW ARE THEY HANDLING THIS MOMENT? YOU KNOW TO DO THIS JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT THEY DON’T HAVE A FEAR OF HEIGHTS, BUT YOU DON’T EXPECT THIS ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING ON THE DEVON TOWER. I WONDER IF FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THERE FROM A HIGHER VANTAGE POINT. >> TO WONDER IF THAT IS JUST WINDOWS AND STAIRS BELOW. >> WE HAVE ZACH RAEL ON THE SCENE. ARE YOU AT THE BASE OF THE TOWER? WHAT IS GOING ON? >> WE ARE RIGHT BY THE MARRIOTT GARDENS. WE ARE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THIS BASKET. IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS SWINGING VIOLENTLY. WE CAN HEAR THE CRASH EVERY TIME IT SLAMS INTO THE BUILDING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS THE STREET BLOCKED OFF. THEY ALSO HAVE ROBINSON AND HUDSON SHUT OFF TO TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW. THIS IS DOWNTOWN OKC, BEGINNING OF THE WORKDAY, LOTS OF PEOPLE TRYING TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING. WE CAN SEE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BASKET, BUT WE CAN SEE THAT BASKET SWINGING VIOLENTLY. I BELIEVE WE ARE LOOKING AT SKY FIVE RIGHT NOW. IT SEEMS TO HAVE STABILIZED. WE CAN SEE THE GLASS SHATTERING AND FALLING BELOW. WE ALSO HEARD THERE MIGHT BE SOME METAL DEBRIS FALLING. FROM WHERE THEY ARE, THEY DO HAVE A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY TRYING TO MOVE SOME PEOPLE BACK. OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT BASKET AND FOR THE PEOPLE BELOW. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE GETS HIT BY FALLING GLASS AND FALLING DEBRIS FROM THE TOWER. >> THERE IS A STABILIZATION HAPPENING. THEY HAVE THIS THING TO STOP SWINGING SO VIOLENTLY. IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS RESCUE. >> THIS IS FINALLY COME TO AN END. IMAGINE WHAT THEY ARE THINKING. IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS ARE UNDER CONTROL. FIRE CREWS AND FIRST RESPONDERS ARE LIFTING THEM TO SAFETY. THEY ARE NOT OUT OF THE ENCLOSURE GET, BUT I IMAGINE THEY WILL BE IN THE MATTER OF MINUTES. >> ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, A FIREFIGHTER. ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THE MAN DOING THE WORK IN THE LIFT. THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOW FIGURING OUT HOW THEY WILL HELP AS THIS LIFT IS LOWERED ONTO THE INSTRUCTION THERE. THEY ARE NO LONGER OUT AND ABOVE BEYOND THE BUILDING. THERE WAS A TIME THIS WAS SWINGING IN OPEN-AIR, FINALLY STRIKING THE BUILDING, SHATTERED GLASS ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAFELY GET EVERYBODY OUT AND LOWER THIS LIST DOWN. >> APPROACHING 8:15 NOW. I HOPE ZACH GETS A CHANCE TO TALK TO THEM, WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WHEN THIS WAS UNFOLDING, NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT FOR THE REST OF US. I IMAGINE EVERYONE IS TUNING IN TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE OK. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS FINALLY UNDER CONTROL, COMING TO AN END, BUT AGAIN, LIVE FROM THE DEVON TOWER THIS MORNING. WE ARE NOT SURE IF IT IS A CLEANING CREW ARE WHAT THEY WERE DOING AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING, BUT THEY ARE FINALLY COMING TO AN END. >> ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS A GREAT PERSPECTIVE. YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT IS SKY 5 COME ON THE RIGHT IS OUR GROUND CREW. YOU CAN SEE THIS LIFT IS OVER OPEN AIR RIGHT NOW, SO THINGS ARE STILL TOUCH AND GO. THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OF HOW TO MOVE THIS BACK OVER TO THE BUILDING SO THEY CAN SAFELY GET THESE PEOPLE OUT. THERE IS AN EMERGENCY PERSON ON THAT LIFT NOW, AS WELL AS THE PERSON TRAPPED ON THE LIFT. IT DOES SEEM TO BE TILTED FROM THE VANTAGE POINT ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS OVER THE STRUCTURE, BUT ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THIS IS STILL OUT OVER OPEN AIR. WE ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO THROW THAT ROPE. I IMAGINE IT WOULD BE A SECONDARY MEASURE IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU ARE STRAPPED IN THEIR INTO SOME KIND OF FRONT AS THEY KNOW THAT IF THIS THING FLIPS YOU ARE STILL SAFE, SO THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO SECURE THE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY GET IT DOWN. >> TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR RIGHT HAND SIDE. WE ARE TOLD THERE ARE NO FIRST RESPONDERS IN THIS LIFT. IT IS STILL THE TWO MEN WHO WERE TRAPPED IN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY COULD LOWER THEM DOWN. FROM THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THAT IS NOT THE CASE. IF IT IS BROKEN, WE ARE NOT SURE HOW THIS WILL PLAY OUT IN TERMS OF GETTING THEM OFF HIS ENCLOSURE BACK ONTO THE SAFETY OF THE TOP OF THE BUILDING, SO I IMAGINE THEY ARE COMMUNICATING IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST PLAN OF ACTION. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO PULL THIS LIFT BACK IN. MAYBE THAT IS PART OF USING THE ROPE, COLD THE LIFT BACK IN AND GET TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THERE SAFELY. IF YOU ARE JOINING US, 8:16 ON YOUR WEDNESDAY MORNING, BREAKING NEWS FROM THE DEVON TOWER. SKY 5 ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE. THIS LIFT SOMEHOW CAME LOOSE AT THE DEAFENED TOWER THIS MORNING. ONE PERSON WAS INSIDE. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL TRYING TO HELP. THIS THING WAS SWINGING VIOLENTLY BACK OVER OPEN AIR, BANGING INTO THE TOWER, THE TERRIFYING MOMENTS ARE STILL NOT OVER BECAUSE THIS THING IS STILL OVER OPEN AIR AND THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE. >> IMAGINE, IT IS HARD TO WATCH THIS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE HEIGHTS, THIS MAKES YOUR SKIN CRAWL, LET ALONE TO THE UP THERE AND LIVING THIS. THE ANGLE OF THE CRANE. WE ARE ASSUMING THE CRANE IS BROKEN. TWO POLLS ARE INTENSELY WITH THE ROPE THAT THAT ENCLOSURE DOES COME BACK TO THE TOWER, YOU WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD TILT SO SEVERELY THE ON THE WAY THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE GREAT EITHER, TO TIP THEM OUT OF THERE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE HARNESSES INSIDE, BUT STILL WE ARE WONDERING HOW THE ROPES WILL WORK. >> I’M GETTING REPORTS THAT THE WINDS ARE OVER 20 MILES PER HOUR AT THE TOP OF THE TOWER. ALSO, SOME FRIENDS IN DOWNTOWN OKC SAID IT WAS SWINGING 20 TO 30 FEET OUT OVER THE EDGE. IT IS HARD TO SEE FROM THE VIDEO FROM SKY FIVE, BUT A GOOD 20 TO 30 FEET IN THE OPEN. >> IT LOOKS LIKE THAT FAR OUT AND THEY STOP SWINGING, LET ALONE WHEN THEY WERE GOING THE FULL LENGTH. >> THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE IS FROM MOMENTS AGO. THIS IS WHAT WE CAME UPON, SKY FLYING AT DEVON TOWER, THIS LIFT VIOLENTLY SWINGING OVER THE DEVON TOWER. AGAIN, VIDEO ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE MOMENTS AGO. ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, THE CONTINUING EFFORT TO RESCUE THE PERSON ON BOARD. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THIS LIFT DOWN. THE VIDEO TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY. >> WE HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 15 FIRST RESPONDERS UP THERE, NOT TO MENTION THE ONES ZACH SHOWED US AT THE BASE OF THE DEVON TOWER. SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS RESCUE AND PROTECTING THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND WHO ARE JUST WALKING TO WORK AT THE DEAF AND ARE THINKING THEY ARE STARTING A REGULAR DAY AND THIS CREW AT THE TOP OF THE BUILDING NOW CLINGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE. THEY ARE CLINGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE INSIDE THIS A CLOSURE. IT IS ALL HANDS ON DECK AT THIS POINT TO GET THEM BACK. >> ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIFT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING HANGING DOWN. YOU WONDER IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT BROKE THE CAUSE THIS VIOLENT SWINGING. SOMETHING WAS CLEARLY NOT RIGHT THAT STARTED THIS WHOLE THING, SO THERE YOU SEE NOW EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, THEN BELOW THIS LIFT, STARTING TO MAKE SOME MOVES AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE OUT OF HERE SAFELY, ONE OF WHICH IS A FIREFIGHTER, THE OTHER PERSON ON THIS LIST DOING SOME KIND OF WORK THIS MORNING WHEN THIS THING CUT LOOSE AND FINALLY STARTED SWINGING. -- VIOLENTLY STARTED SWINGING. >> THE WINDS ARE INTENSE. YOU CAN SEE THE WIND FLAPPING THROUGH THAT JACKET, SO YOU KNOW THEY ARE FEELING THAT WIN. >> HE HAS A HARNESS ON. IS WHAT WE SUSPECTED, THEY WERE LIFTING UP SOME SECONDARY EQUIPMENT. HE DOES APPEAR TO NOW HAVE ON A HARNESS ON HIS CHEST, WHICH WOULD GO LIKE A HIKING HARNESS. THEY WILL MAYBE GET HIM DOWN THIS WAY IN SOME TYPE OF WAY, BUT SIDEWAYS. >> LOOK AT THE SIDE OF THIS. ALL OF THAT METAL, I MEAN, IT IS SNARLED UP AT THIS POINT. IT LOOKS LIKE THE TWO, JUST BASED OFF OF OBSERVATION, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH FIRST RESPONDERS. LET’S GO BACK OUT TO THE REPORTER ON THE GROUND. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES? >> RIGHT NOW THEY DO HAVE THE LIFT UNDER CONTROL. WE CAN SEE THE TWO WIRES TO STABILIZE THIS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TELLING US THIS APPEARS TO BE TWO WINDOW WASHERS STARTING AT THE TOP OF THE DEAFENED TOWER. THEY STILL HAVE TRAFFIC BLOCKED OFF AT THE BASE OF THE TOWER AND ARE STILL KEEPING PEOPLE AWAY, WORRIED AS THE LIFT WAS SLAMMING VIOLENTLY INTO THE TOP OF THE TOWER WITH SHATTERED GLASS. THEY WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE TOWER IN CASE ANY MORE DEBRIS CONTINUES TO FALL. YOU PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER VANTAGE POINT FROM SKY FIVE. AGAIN, HEAVY EMERGENCY PERSONNEL PRESENCE HERE IN DOWNTOWN OKC. BACK TO YOU. >> ONE MORE QUESTION, PEOPLE AT THE BASE OF THE TOWER WHO ARE PROBABLY JUST WALKING TO WORK FOR WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A REGULAR DAY, OUR PEOPLE SCREAMING, WATCHING, WHAT IS THE MOOD DOWN THERE? >> SINCE THEY STAYED ALIVE THE LEFT THINGS HAVE A -- LIFT THINGS HAVE APPEARED TO COMB DOWN. THERE ARE PEOPLE STOPPING, LOOKING. IT IS CALMER THAN IT WAS. YOU SAW THE IMAGES LIVE ON YOUR SCREEN, HOW VIOLENTLY THAT LIFT WAS SLAMMING INTO THE TOWER. THINGS HAVE CALMED DOWN WHERE WE ARE. A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST STARTING THEIR DAY AND HEADING TO WORK. NOT WHAT THEY EXPECTED TO SEE AS THEY STARTED THE DAY. >> THANK YOU. NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD, WHEREIN THE HARNESSES THEY WERE LIKELY WEARING BEFORE, SO AGAIN, TWO PERSONNEL WORKING IN SOME CAPACITY REND THE SAFETY HARNESSES JUST AS THEY DO THIS WORK ANYWAY, AND NOW YOU SEE BELOW THEIR FIREFIGHTERS TRYING TO PULLEY AND MOVE THIS LIFT BACK OVER ON TOP OF THE BUILDING, AS OPPOSED TO OVER THE OPEN-AIR, TO MAKE IT MORE SAFE. SO FAR THEY ARE HOLDING TIGHT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAFELY DO THIS. YOU SEE THE GUY ON THE RIGHT PUTTING HIS HEAD DOWN INTO HIS ARMS. DON’T YOU KNOW THERE IS RELIEF RIGHT NOW, BUT NOT YET COMPLETELY BECAUSE YOU WANT OFF THAT THING. >> HE IS RELIEVED, BUT ALSO EXHAUSTED FROM HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE, NOT KNOWING WHEN THE SWINGING WAS GOING TO STOP.
(see video for full text)

Type of publication: Television When was the article reported?: 05/15/2019 Publication: KOCO News 5 Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: national News Category: Society/People

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