A teenage boy cracked a glass panel at the world's largest glass-bottom observation deck in Henan Province, China, by striking the floor with an umbrella, prompting an emergency evacuation of tourists.
According to foreign media including China.com and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the incident occurred on the 20th of last month at the glass skywalk at the Baoquan Cliff tourist site in Henan Province.
"A boy believed to be a teenager struck the glass floor with an umbrella, cracking the panel," an official at the observation deck said. On-site staff responded quickly, and there were no casualties.
"The observation deck is made of triple-laminated safety glass, and the boy damaged only a single panel on the topmost layer," the official added. "There is no impact on the overall load-bearing capacity or structural safety."
The damaged section is currently closed off while repair work is underway, and the area will remain closed until repairs are completed, while the rest of the deck stays open as normal. Following the incident, the tourist site plans to strengthen guidance for visitors, instructing them not to strike the glass with umbrellas or sharp objects.
The Baoquan tourist site is the world's largest glass observation deck, listed in Guinness World Records in 2023. It is a popular attraction where visitors can look down through the glass floor at a 180-meter cliff below.
After the incident became known, local netizens raised criticism over the facility's safety. "If it can be broken even with an umbrella, wouldn't it be dangerous if someone stepped on it in high heels?" and "For tourist safety, they should apply safety standards far higher than the general ones," some responded.
