Visitors 'scream' as China's new 1,000-meter-high glass walkway cracks

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN
Updated 1358 GMT (2058 HKT) October 7, 2015
Hunan Province, home to striking quartz cliffs and scenery, is a popular tourist destination. Part of it is said to have inspired the creation of "Pandora" in James Cameron's "Avatar."
10 photos:
Real life 'Pandora' – Hunan Province, home to striking quartz cliffs and scenery, is a popular tourist destination. Part of it is said to have inspired the creation of "Pandora" in James Cameron's "Avatar."
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A dizzying glass floor was installed in the Eiffel Tower in October 2014.
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Eiffel Tower – A dizzying glass floor was installed in the Eiffel Tower in October 2014.
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A glass floor installed high above London's Tower Bridge opened to the public in 2014. It created headlines shortly after when someone dropped a bottle, causing the upper layer of one of the glass panels to shatter.
10 photos:
London's Tower Bridge – A glass floor installed high above London's Tower Bridge opened to the public in 2014. It created headlines shortly after when someone dropped a bottle, causing the upper layer of one of the glass panels to shatter.
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At the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk reaches out over a drop of 1,450 meters.
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Grand Canyon Skywalk – At the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk reaches out over a drop of 1,450 meters.
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Chicago's Skydeck looks down from the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
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High up and windy – Chicago's Skydeck looks down from the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
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Cracks on a newly opened glass walkway in Yuntaishan Scenic Park in China's Henan province have sparked concerns. The 260-meter cliffside passage, suspended over a canyon at 1,080 meters (3,540 feet) above sea level, opened about two weeks ago.
10 photos:
Broken bridge – Cracks on a newly opened glass walkway in Yuntaishan Scenic Park in China's Henan province have sparked concerns. The 260-meter cliffside passage, suspended over a canyon at 1,080 meters (3,540 feet) above sea level, opened about two weeks ago.
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It's one of a series of glass-bottomed attractions China has opened lately. Another new bridge (as seen in the picture), called Haohan Qiao or Brave Men's Bridge in English, is a 300-meter-long overpass in Shiniuzai National Park in southern China.
10 photos:
Glass bridge wave – It's one of a series of glass-bottomed attractions China has opened lately. Another new bridge (as seen in the picture), called Haohan Qiao or Brave Men's Bridge in English, is a 300-meter-long overpass in Shiniuzai National Park in southern China.
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Hovering 180 meters over ground, the Shiniuzhai's span was originally made of wood. It's been converted to a glass walkway over the past year.
10 photos:
Transformation – Hovering 180 meters over ground, the Shiniuzhai's span was originally made of wood. It's been converted to a glass walkway over the past year.
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The Brave Men's Bridge (pictured), like the broken Yuntaishan walkway, opened just in time for Golden Week, the biggest week for tourism in China. It begins on October 1 -- China's National Day.
10 photos:
Just in time – The Brave Men's Bridge (pictured), like the broken Yuntaishan walkway, opened just in time for Golden Week, the biggest week for tourism in China. It begins on October 1 -- China's National Day.
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Also in Hunan Province, another glass-bottomed suspension bridge is planned for the Zhangjiajie Great Canyon area. When completed, the structure will be the world's highest and longest glass bridge.
10 photos:
Opening soon – Also in Hunan Province, another glass-bottomed suspension bridge is planned for the Zhangjiajie Great Canyon area. When completed, the structure will be the world's highest and longest glass bridge.
Hide Caption
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Hunan Province, home to striking quartz cliffs and scenery, is a popular tourist destination. Part of it is said to have inspired the creation of "Pandora" in James Cameron's "Avatar."
10 photos:
Real life 'Pandora' – Hunan Province, home to striking quartz cliffs and scenery, is a popular tourist destination. Part of it is said to have inspired the creation of "Pandora" in James Cameron's "Avatar."
Hide Caption
6 of 10
A dizzying glass floor was installed in the Eiffel Tower in October 2014.
10 photos:
Eiffel Tower – A dizzying glass floor was installed in the Eiffel Tower in October 2014.
Hide Caption
7 of 10
A glass floor installed high above London's Tower Bridge opened to the public in 2014. It created headlines shortly after when someone dropped a bottle, causing the upper layer of one of the glass panels to shatter.
10 photos:
London's Tower Bridge – A glass floor installed high above London's Tower Bridge opened to the public in 2014. It created headlines shortly after when someone dropped a bottle, causing the upper layer of one of the glass panels to shatter.
Hide Caption
8 of 10
At the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk reaches out over a drop of 1,450 meters.
10 photos:
Grand Canyon Skywalk – At the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk reaches out over a drop of 1,450 meters.
Hide Caption
9 of 10
Chicago's Skydeck looks down from the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
10 photos:
High up and windy – Chicago's Skydeck looks down from the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
Hide Caption
10 of 10
Cracks on a newly opened glass walkway in Yuntaishan Scenic Park in China's Henan province have sparked concerns. The 260-meter cliffside passage, suspended over a canyon at 1,080 meters (3,540 feet) above sea level, opened about two weeks ago.
10 photos:
Broken bridge – Cracks on a newly opened glass walkway in Yuntaishan Scenic Park in China's Henan province have sparked concerns. The 260-meter cliffside passage, suspended over a canyon at 1,080 meters (3,540 feet) above sea level, opened about two weeks ago.
Hide Caption
1 of 10
It's one of a series of glass-bottomed attractions China has opened lately. Another new bridge (as seen in the picture), called Haohan Qiao or Brave Men's Bridge in English, is a 300-meter-long overpass in Shiniuzai National Park in southern China.
10 photos:
Glass bridge wave – It's one of a series of glass-bottomed attractions China has opened lately. Another new bridge (as seen in the picture), called Haohan Qiao or Brave Men's Bridge in English, is a 300-meter-long overpass in Shiniuzai National Park in southern China.
Hide Caption
2 of 10
Hovering 180 meters over ground, the Shiniuzhai's span was originally made of wood. It's been converted to a glass walkway over the past year.
10 photos:
Transformation – Hovering 180 meters over ground, the Shiniuzhai's span was originally made of wood. It's been converted to a glass walkway over the past year.
Hide Caption
3 of 10
The Brave Men's Bridge (pictured), like the broken Yuntaishan walkway, opened just in time for Golden Week, the biggest week for tourism in China. It begins on October 1 -- China's National Day.
10 photos:
Just in time – The Brave Men's Bridge (pictured), like the broken Yuntaishan walkway, opened just in time for Golden Week, the biggest week for tourism in China. It begins on October 1 -- China's National Day.
Hide Caption
4 of 10
Also in Hunan Province, another glass-bottomed suspension bridge is planned for the Zhangjiajie Great Canyon area. When completed, the structure will be the world's highest and longest glass bridge.
10 photos:
Opening soon – Also in Hunan Province, another glass-bottomed suspension bridge is planned for the Zhangjiajie Great Canyon area. When completed, the structure will be the world's highest and longest glass bridge.
Hide Caption
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Yuntaishan China glass walkway cracks
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China glass bridge2
zhangjiajie glass bridge 04
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chicago skywalk illinois tpotd

Story highlights

  • Just two weeks after opening, glass walkway China's Henan province closes due to damage
  • Officials say the damage was superficial and there was no danger to the public
  • Witnesses claim visitors screamed and ran in fear when cracks appeared in the glass
(CNN)Walking on a glass walkway suspended 1,000 meters up a mountain is supposed to be terrifying -- but not this terrifying.
Just two weeks after it opened to a nervous public, a walkway in China's central Henan province was evacuated after cracks appeared.
Reports describe visitors running and screaming in panic as they saw the damage on the U-shaped path at Yuntaishan (Yuntai Mountain) Scenic Park.
"Just witnessed a historic moment -- Yuntaishan's glass walkway is broken," wrote one user on Weibo (China's micro-blogging site) with the screen name "leedonghaeshuohyukjaenihaowodeai."
"As I was approaching the end of the passage, I heard a sudden loud 'bang.' My legs were shaken. I looked down and saw the pane underneath me had shattered.
    "Some people screamed. I yelled, 'It really cracked. It really cracked!' Then I ran pushing the people in front of me. I was terrified."
    Opened on September 20, the cliffside path spans 260 meters (853 feet), with a 68-meter glass-bottom (223-foot) section. It hangs 1,080 meters above sea level.
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