Two window cleaners were trapped 69 stories up on the outside of the new World Trade Centre earlier today when the scaffolding they were on collapsed.
The mid-air drama unfolded on Wednesday afternoon on the south side of America's tallest skyscraper.
Television images showed one side of the scaffolding platform dangling at a sharp angle.
The workers were secured by harnesses and were not in imminent danger, said the fire department.
Emergency officials cut through panes of glass next to the platform to reach the workers.
A cable on the scaffolding apparently broke at around 1pm (6pm GMT) and the workers were pulled to safety at around 2:15pm.
The building has 104 floors and is 1,776ft (541 metres) high, making it the tallest in the western hemisphere.
The skyscraper only opened for business last week for the first time since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Almost 200 employees of magazine publisher Conde Nast were the first employees to move in.
The Fire Department were in close contact with the workers and eventually decided the most effective way to reach the stranded cleaners was by smashing a window.
Now: #FDNY rescuing workers trapped on scaffolding outside 1 World Trade Center. View from the 68th floor. pic.twitter.com/3c7Oi8EZPD
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 12, 2014
MAN ALL HANDS 1 WORLD TRADE CENTER, HIGH RISE (WORLD TRADE CENTER) SCAFFOLDING EMERGENCY, UNDER CONTROL
— FDNY (@FDNY) November 12, 2014
