Couple Stranded on Novato Hotel Balcony Rescued

A man and woman spent about 40 minutes stranded on a hotel balcony early Tuesday morning in Novato after the sliding glass door locked behind them, prompting a rescue from a fire department ladder truck, a fire official said.

The couple got stuck on a third-floor balcony at and called for help at 1:05 a.m., said firefighter Nick Zagaris. Initial responders from the assessed the situation and called for a ladder truck from Station 2 on Atherton Avenue. The couple was brought down safely from about 35 feet high at about 1:45 a.m., he said.

“It was either that or break the window,” Zagaris said.