Firefighters free two window cleaners from defective gondola at 200 meters high in Frankfurt

A total of 24 emergency personnel from the Frankfurt professional fire brigade took part in the operation, including five specially trained high-angle rescue specialists. They secured the gondola, took over the two men individually, and pulled them up floor by floor to a safe area of the building.

What the fire brigade achieved

The rescue apparently proceeded smoothly according to the fire brigade's assessment. The spokesperson described the operation as presumably the highest rescue operation in an urban area in Germany. The operation thus surpassed comparable deployments in city centers, where high-angle rescue specialists typically work at significantly lower heights.

High-angle rescue is a specialized area within fire brigades, trained for operations on buildings, transmitter masts, bridges, and industrial facilities. The rescuers are trained, among other things, in rope techniques, patient care on rope, and self-rescue. In Frankfurt, such a unit is on standby around the clock.

Technology and safety at high-rise buildings

High-rise facades in Frankfurt are regularly cleaned and maintained by specialized companies. The work platforms, also known as gondolas, are suspended on ropes from the roof of the building and are moved up and down via winches. If a technical defect occurs during this process, such as a failure of the suspension or the cable winch, the occupants must be rescued from the outside.

Frankfurt's stock of high-rise buildings is among the largest in Germany. Several skyscrapers shape the cityscape in the city center, including buildings with significantly more than 40 floors. Operations at such heights place special demands on equipment, logistics, and personnel.

Further investigations underway

The Frankfurt professional fire brigade intended to further evaluate the incident afterward. This is also to include an examination of whether the gondola manufacturer or the building operator must take additional safety precautions. In addition, it was initially unclear whether the two men were injured while hanging; this will be clarified medically.

The incident occurred on Friday morning, according to the fire brigade's information. The fire brigade provided no information on possible closures around the high-rise building or the exact location of the building. The operation was disseminated via the dpa news channel.