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Oct 19, 2024

Workers rescued from above courthouse after suspended scaffolding collapses

MILWAUKEE — Two workers were rescued after becoming trapped above the Milwaukee County Courthouse Thursday when the suspended scaffolding they were working on partially collapsed. It happened around

MILWAUKEE — Two workers were rescued after becoming trapped above the Milwaukee County Courthouse Thursday when the suspended scaffolding they were working on partially collapsed.

It happened around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

People were seen lowering ropes down to the workers on the "swing stage" as part of a recovery effort. A third worker who was on a ledge just above the scaffolding came over to help.

Watch: Workers make it to safety after suspended scaffolding partially collapses:

Milwaukee firefighters arrived at the courthouse and were seen on the roof and on the ground assisting in the rescue.

Nearly 45 minutes after the scaffolding fell, another piece of suspended scaffolding carrying two additional workers was slowly raised from the ground up the courthouse wall.

The workers on the second scaffold secured the two workers near the collapsed scaffold and continued upward to the courthouse roof. All four workers eventually reached the roof safely.

In a news conference, Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said the cause of the collapse is still unknown and that there were zero injuries in the incident.

"We were ready to go over the edge...but these folks that are working on this site are highly skilled," Lipski said.

Lipski called the successful rescue the "best ending" to the story.

Berglund Construction has been working on a stone repair project at the courthouse for several years.

OSHA says it has opened an investigation with Berglund regarding the incident.

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