Circulating video clips documented a difficult situation experienced by a number of workers cleaning glass facades in Istanbul, after they were stuck on a high altitude in the Umraniye neighborhood following strong winds yesterday morning, Tuesday, which caused them to sway violently while they were hanging on ropes on the facade of a high-rise building within the Istanbul Financial Center area, according to what local media reported.
The clips showed scenes of workers clinging tightly to their ropes and their bodies swinging dangerously in the air, while passersby took photos and video clips documenting the situation amid a state of panic and anxiety.
According to reports, the workers had begun their work cleaning the windows of the skyscraper in the early morning hours using climbing equipment and ropes, before they were surprised by the strong winds that suddenly increased in intensity, leaving them stuck on the glass facade without being able to get down.
The sources said that the workers continued to struggle for more than two and a half hours in the face of strong winds, as the ropes were swinging violently, and the team on the ground was trying to control the situation and bring them down safely using safety and rescue equipment.
According to what local newspapers reported, none of the workers were injured, but the accident caused a state of panic in the area and prompted the authorities to temporarily suspend all glass facade cleaning work as a precautionary measure until weather conditions stabilized.
It is noteworthy that Istanbul witnessed on Tuesday morning a wave of strong winds and sudden storms, especially in the high areas of the city, which led to limited traffic disturbances and some minor material damage to buildings and facilities.
