Valley Window Cleaning

You never know when a window cleaning tool may save your life.

A simple tool helped save the lives of six people on September 11, 2001.

Trapped in an elevator at One World Trade Center, window washer Jan Demczur used a handle to pry open the doors. He and the other men inside then took turns using a squeegee to break through layers of drywall, creating an escape route to the stairwell.

Their quick thinking and determination turned an ordinary tool into a lifesaving device that day.

Read more about this incredible story of survival:
On September 11, 2001, window washer Jan Demczur was ascending the North Tower of the World Trade Center with five colleagues when their elevator was struck by American Airlines Flight 11. The elevator plummeted, then halted abruptly. Inside, they smelled smoke and realized they were trapped.

After prying open the doors, they found themselves facing a wall of Sheetrock. Using a pocketknife, they began cutting through the layers. However, the knife blade slipped from Demczur's hand and fell down the shaft. In a moment of desperation, a colleague grabbed a squeegee handle from Demczur's bucket. With this tool, they managed to break through the drywall, creating an escape route. They crawled through the opening and descended the stairs to safety.

This squeegee handle, now preserved at the National Museum of American History, stands as a testament to ingenuity and determination in the face of unimaginable circumstances.

📸: National Museum of American History