Rappelling NY firefighters rescue trapped workers

YONKERS, N.Y. (AP) — Firefighters have rappelled down the side of a high-rise building in a New York City suburb to rescue two men who were dangling from safety ropes.

The workers’ scaffolding apparently had collapsed.

The first man was rescued at about sunset when a firefighter rappelled from the roof, more than 10 stories above, to the men’s location. He secured the man closest to the ground and descended with him to street level.

About half an hour later, the second man reached the ground in a firefighter’s grip.

The building is in Yonkers, just north of New York City.

Television pictures showed the men suspended among the remnants of their scaffold.

But the Yonkers fire commissioner says the men weren’t in danger of falling.