An 853-foot-long, 3,540-foot-high glass walkway on Yuntai Mountain in China cracked under tourists’ feet after a steel mug was dropped on it. The walkway had just opened September 20 and is now closed to visitors for repairs. Nobody was injured.
The walkway, which was built in a U-shape on the face of Yuntai Mountain in Henan province, is just one in a string of recently constructed glass structures in China. Last month, a 2953-foot-long glass bridge opened in Yunnan province. The walkway was built with three layers of glass, so the steel mug technically did not put anybody in danger. However, just being on the glass walkway can be scary for some people.
Lee Dong Hai was on the walkway when the walkway cracked. He could tell it cracked because “My foot shook a little. I looked down and I saw that there was a crack in the floor.” Hai continues, “A lot of people started to scream. I screamed out ‘It cracked! It really cracked!’ and then I pushed the people in front of me so that we could run out of the way.”
According to the walkway’s specs, it can carry nearly 540 pounds per square foot, so the stress of tourists’ weight should not be a threat to the walkway. However, the architects apparently did not anticipate any visitors bringing steel mugs onto it. The timing of this crack is unfortunate, as it coincides with China’s week-long National Day holiday – a time when over 530 million people are expected to travel domestically.
Though the public are not in danger since only one layer cracked, a decision was made to close the walkway since the staff noticed a few cracks near the exit of the walkway. Safety concerns warranted its temporary closing for repairs.
Yuntai mountain in Henan province was in the first group of its kind to be named a World Geologic Park by UNESCO in 2004. It is world-famous for its gorgeous waterfalls and scenic views. At 1,030 feet, Yuntai Waterfall is also the highest waterfall in China. Though Yuntai Mountain was a popular tourist destination before the glass walkway was constructed, it is sure to bring even more visitors now, even despite the cracks.