Video shows fierce winds sending high-rise workers on frightening ride
By
Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor
Published May 1, 2020 3:16 PM EST
Suspended workers in Miami, Florida, were in for a wild ride on April 30 as strong winds blew around their platform.
A stormy Thursday afternoon caused some workers in South Florida hanging from a beachfront skyscraper to take an unexpected thrill ride.
Video captured by an Instagram user Irena Bessmertnaya showed two workers holding on for dear life as their scaffolding tossed and turned amid strong winds and banged into the high-rise building they were working on. According to ABC News, Bessmertnaya says the workers were fine and eventually climbed onto a balcony and made their way down with the help of some co-workers.
The incident occurred at a Ritz-Carlton residential building that is under construction in Sunny Isles Beach, located in Miami-Dade County.
On her Instagram post, Bessmertnaya wrote that she had been enjoying “quiet, sunny weather and then everything changed in a second.” She added that the wind scattered her patio furniture. “I can only imagine what will happen here in the fall in the hurricane season,” she wrote.
Bessmertnaya told AccuWeather that the storm lasted about 30 minutes before the weather became calm again. She said she had seen similar storms come through the area before, but none like this.
"I am from Ukraine, but living in Miami since July 2019, she said. "It [has] happened in front of my apartment where I live now. I never before saw such [a] storm like that!"
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said a round of strong thunderstorms rolled through Miami-Dade County between 1:30 and 2:15 p.m.
“Very strong winds and even damage were reported as the storms rolled through, with a gust to 66 mph reported at Miami International Airport's South Terminal and 60 mph near Pennsuco, to the northwest of downtown Miami,” Deger said. “There were also reports and photos of downed trees across Miami-Dade County from the strong winds.”
This radar animation shows thunderstorms tracking across Florida from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2020. (Image/AccuWeather)
The footage of the workers being tossed around was reminiscent of a scene in Oklahoma City last year when a large basket with two window washers inside begin swinging out of control amid strong winds hundreds of feet up in the air.
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News / Severe Weather
Video shows fierce winds sending high-rise workers on frightening ride
By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor
Published May 1, 2020 3:16 PM EST
Suspended workers in Miami, Florida, were in for a wild ride on April 30 as strong winds blew around their platform.
A stormy Thursday afternoon caused some workers in South Florida hanging from a beachfront skyscraper to take an unexpected thrill ride.
Video captured by an Instagram user Irena Bessmertnaya showed two workers holding on for dear life as their scaffolding tossed and turned amid strong winds and banged into the high-rise building they were working on. According to ABC News, Bessmertnaya says the workers were fine and eventually climbed onto a balcony and made their way down with the help of some co-workers.
The incident occurred at a Ritz-Carlton residential building that is under construction in Sunny Isles Beach, located in Miami-Dade County.
On her Instagram post, Bessmertnaya wrote that she had been enjoying “quiet, sunny weather and then everything changed in a second.” She added that the wind scattered her patio furniture. “I can only imagine what will happen here in the fall in the hurricane season,” she wrote.
Bessmertnaya told AccuWeather that the storm lasted about 30 minutes before the weather became calm again. She said she had seen similar storms come through the area before, but none like this.
"I am from Ukraine, but living in Miami since July 2019, she said. "It [has] happened in front of my apartment where I live now. I never before saw such [a] storm like that!"
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said a round of strong thunderstorms rolled through Miami-Dade County between 1:30 and 2:15 p.m.
“Very strong winds and even damage were reported as the storms rolled through, with a gust to 66 mph reported at Miami International Airport's South Terminal and 60 mph near Pennsuco, to the northwest of downtown Miami,” Deger said. “There were also reports and photos of downed trees across Miami-Dade County from the strong winds.”
This radar animation shows thunderstorms tracking across Florida from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 30, 2020. (Image/AccuWeather)
The footage of the workers being tossed around was reminiscent of a scene in Oklahoma City last year when a large basket with two window washers inside begin swinging out of control amid strong winds hundreds of feet up in the air.
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Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo