Dramatic operation to rescue Baker Street window cleaners

Emergency services called in to help men who were stuck for four hours

HAVE you heard the one about the two window cleaners, four fire engines, four ambulances and a police car?

That was the scene that greeted people in Baker Street on Monday during a dramatic rescue more in keeping with an action movie than an office lunch break.

When the cradle holding window cleaners Lou Warr and Dave Welch got stuck halfway up a seven storey office building at 11am, they knew they were going nowhere in a hurry.

Fast forward four hours later and Specialist Line Rescue firefighters had been called – along with a host of other emergency services – to perform the same sort of operation carried out in a helicopter rescue.

When finally brought safely down to the ground Mr Warr said: “I have been doing this for 38 years and it’s the first time I’ve had to be rescued.

“We were descending and there was a grinding noise so we stopped. We couldn’t go up or down.

“We went through all the procedures to check it was safe so we weren’t worried, but we knew we were stuck and it was bloody freezing up there.

“It’s a bit of a different day at the office – something eventful.

“The only problem is we don’t get overtime.”