Seacrest, who hosts "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" was on his way to reveal the ball on ABC's Good Morning America when the elevator stopped, trapping him and some producers from GMA.
He posted this video on social media when it first happened at 7:39 a.m.:
we're trying to get up to the ball in Times Square w/ @GMA... #RockinEve @nyre pic.twitter.com/mvyvX1yeFp
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) December 30, 2016
Nine minutes later, they were still stuck. The producers were making calls, and trying to figure out what to do:
update 2 from inside the elevator w/ @GMA #RockinEve @nyre pic.twitter.com/ClzCePaA6Q
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) December 30, 2016
At 8:15 - more than 35 minutes later, the FDNY came to their rescue:
safely out of the elevator! thx to the #FDNY #RockinEve @GMA @NYRE pic.twitter.com/gGiFJXua6w
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) December 30, 2016
Seacrest thanked the firefighters and wished them a happy new year.
And then he made his appearance at the top with Jenny McCarthy:
made it to the top to test the ball w/ @JennyMcCarthy #RockinEve @NYRE pic.twitter.com/Nwjfodlko9
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) December 30, 2016