[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] A crack formed in a glass panel at the world’s largest glass observation deck, installed at a famous tourist site in China, after a teenage visitor poked the floor with an umbrella. No one was injured, but concerns are spreading over the deck’s safety and the quality of its glass flooring.
According to Chinese outlet Xin Jing Bao and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), tourists who visited the glass observation deck at Baoquan Cliffside Scenic Area in Huixian County, Henan Province, China, on the 20th were evacuated in an emergency after staff gave instructions. A crack had appeared on the glass surface of the deck’s floor.
The tourism office said the next day, "A teenager who appeared to be in his teens poked the glass floor with the tip of an umbrella, and a crack formed on the surface of one glass panel during the act."
It added that staff immediately evacuated visitors safely, and no further accidents occurred.
The office also said the area would remain closed until replacement work is completed, while the rest of the observation deck continues to operate normally.
Baoquan Cliffside Scenic Area was officially recognized by Guinness World Records in 2023 as the world’s largest glass observation deck.
Designed in the shape of a cloud, the observation deck has a two-story structure. The combined area of the glass walkways on both levels exceeds 1,700 square meters, or about 514 pyeong.
The deck offers a sweeping view of the red sandstone cliffs of China’s Taihang Mountains, making it one of the region’s best-known tourist attractions.
On the accident, the tourism office stressed, "The observation deck was built with triple-layer laminated tempered safety glass," adding, "The crack occurred only in the top glass layer and had no effect whatsoever on the structure that bears the load."
It also said safety education would be strengthened, including more active guidance telling visitors not to poke the glass with umbrellas or other sharp objects.
However, online debate over the deck’s quality continued.
Some netizens expressed concern, saying, "If an umbrella can cause a crack, couldn’t someone wearing high heels damage it just by walking on it?"
Others argued that "the boy and his guardian should be held responsible," criticizing the deliberate damage to the facility.
A tourism official said, "The glass used meets all national safety standards." But some netizens countered that "national standards are only the minimum," adding that "because this is a facility where the safety of countless visitors is at stake, it should be subject to stricter quality standards than ordinary structures."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
