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Window washer survives 8 story fall in Seattle

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by TONYA MOSLEY / KING 5 News

Posted on November 19, 2009 at 1:06 PM

Updated Thursday, Nov 19 at 6:51 PM

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Window washer survives fall
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SEATTLE – A window washer fell eight stories from a Downtown Seattle building and has nothing more than a broken pinky to show for it.

It was the screams for help that first caught Chad Otis' attention.

"I looked out and saw him right up here and he was hanging on to a rope," said Otis.

At around noon, eight stories high, a window washer was holding on for dear life. Those working at Smashing Ideas Marketing firm, inside of the building at 1601 Second Avenue that houses Nordstrom Rack, rushed to the window, fearing the worst.

"I saw a blur, something falling down," says Mark Buico. who was sitting at his desk looking out the window when it happened.

"I just looked right outside of this window and saw a body go really fast down and we thought he was dead," says Lance Hughes.

But just inches before hitting the ground, something happened.

"The rope was loose for a bit and then tensed up," says Buico.

The safety rope caught the window washer. Otis says it was unbelievable.

"It went from really changing his life and mine a little bit to everything is going to be OK," said Otis.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Harborview with a broken pinky. He's expected to make a full recovery. 

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whawha said on November 19, 2009 at 2:07 PM

L U C K Y !!!!!

seahorse said on November 19, 2009 at 2:24 PM

I hope he gets a lotto ticket!

tiffani74 said on November 19, 2009 at 3:13 PM

Hey window washer.... write a book... you will never have to wash windows again!!! Praise God!

yogibear said on November 19, 2009 at 3:20 PM

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yogibear said on November 19, 2009 at 3:21 PM

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

aguynamedjohn said on November 19, 2009 at 3:31 PM

Was his name James Bond?

hmmmm said on November 19, 2009 at 4:02 PM

"a rope caught the 34-year-old male window washer at the second story, softening his fall." That's one hell of a whipper.

hrdheded1 said on November 19, 2009 at 4:51 PM

L-U-C-K-Y!!!!!!!!!

spmgj said on November 19, 2009 at 6:11 PM

who's identity ---Is this the correct ? I thought it should be "whose identity".

bklkj20 said on November 19, 2009 at 7:39 PM

I'm so happy you're okay! :-) God Bless you. Wow. what a story to tell your grandkids someday, Ha ha! Brenda

bklkj20 said on November 19, 2009 at 7:42 PM

I'm so happy you're okay! (-: God Bless you. Wow, what a story to tell your grandkids someday, Ha ha! Brenda

wiseguy said on November 19, 2009 at 10:11 PM

His name is U.R. Luckyman

blankingout said on November 20, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Lucky indeed.

leekelee2 said on November 20, 2009 at 12:40 AM

Miracles every day! what a lucky man :) I hope this changes his life ..... He was spared his life for a reason....wonder if he will wah windows 9 stories up again?

leekelee2 said on November 20, 2009 at 12:40 AM

ooops that was wash windows again...

wind0wninja said on November 20, 2009 at 11:33 PM

I've been saying for years it's not a question of if, but of when. From the video it looks like he was on some old rope and the knot was sheared off. If the rope was really old and all integrity compromised the rope could pull itself apart under load. Or more likely he might have been tied off to something semi-sharp and a combination of weight and angle could have sheared the rope at the anchor point. The type of rope shown is a marine braid; core covered by an outer sheath. Suitable for a rappel device but not suitable for safety line rope grab. My speculation is the rope grab caught due to the milking effect the outer sheath had running down the central core and bunching up at the bottom whereby the rope is expanded to a diameter comparable enough for the rope grab have any effect. Historically, window cleaners that live threw big falls don't return to the chair. However, desperation is the mother of necessity as they say and everyone has to put food on the table somehow.

bamofo said on November 21, 2009 at 6:16 AM

wow.. Good thing it wasn't a six story building. We'd have been talking pancake!

joliska said on November 23, 2009 at 11:37 AM

can you imagine thinking that there is no way that you will live through something, to being able to go home with nothing more than a broken pinky and shattered nerves?