Glass bridge in China cracks after being poked with an umbrella, official says it is safe
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Glass bridge in China cracks after being poked with an umbrella, official says it is safe")
China has more than 2,000 glass bridges and viewing platforms. Photograph: (AFP)
A boy carrying an umbrella hit the glass bridge with the sharp end, which created a crack. Officials say the glass panels conform to safety standards and the bridge remains safe to bear the weight of tourists. They also plan to educate people about not poking the glass.
A glass bridge at a famous tourist spot in China sustained a crack from an umbrella, triggering evacuations. The incident occurred at the Baoquan Cliff World Scenic Area, a national 5A-rated tourism destination in Henan province. A teenager carrying an umbrella poked the glass bridge with it, which caused a crack in the panel, a spokesperson said. 5A is the highest and most prestigious tourist rating in China. Tourists were immediately evacuated from the bridge, avoiding any untoward incident.
The spokesperson added that the bridge is being repaired and that they have contacted the original glass provider for a replacement. The area around the cracked glass has been closed off, and visitors are still allowed to explore other parts of the bridge.
Spokesperson says bridge remains safe
Talking about the crack, the spokesperson said that the bridge is made up of triple-laminated safety glass, and the boy had only cracked the top layer of one panel. He stressed that the bridge remains safe for tourists and its overall load-bearing capacity is unaffected. The authorities said they will educate tourists about not poking the glass with sharp objects. Another official said that the glass panels conform to national standards.
People on social media are now questioning the safety of the bridge and whether the quality was compromised. One user asked if an umbrella could crack the glass; could a person wearing high heels do the same? Another asked, “The national standard is merely a passing score. Such projects, which involve people’s safety, should adhere to a higher standard.”
Glass bridges in China
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
The glass platform was recognised as the world’s largest by Guinness World Records in 2023. It is a double-layer structure and is shaped like a cloud. Both layers have walkways spanning over 1,700 square metres in total. The bridge offers views of the natural cliffs of the Taihang Mountains, which comprise vertically sheer red sandstone walls. China has more than 2,000 glass bridges and viewing platforms. The Baoquan Cliff World Scenic Area was designated as a national 5A tourist attraction in 2024.
