Cracks appear in Willis Tower's Skydeck: Tower spokesman says there is no danger

Yahoo News ^ | By Mike Krumboltz,

[BenLurkin]

group of tourists checking out the Skydeck on the 103rd floor of the Chicago skyscraper received the shock of a lifetime when the glass pane they were standing on began to crack, NBC Chicago reports.

The photo of the cracked glass, taken by Alejandro Garibay, quickly went viral. Nobody was hurt.

Garibay told NBC Chicago that after the protective layer began to crack, he alerted staffers. "When we pulled our phones to start recording and take pictures, they asked us to leave right away," he said.

Tourists who go to the very top of the skyscraper are given the opportunity to step out onto "the Ledge," a series of glass boxes made of three layers of glass built to hold five tons, and then look straight down on the Windy City.

[Larry Lucido]

Oh, well, no problem, then.

[kiryandil]

Oh, well, no problem, then.

What kind of a crack is that?

[TangoLimaSierra]

Evidently it was a coating on the glass that cracked and not the glass.

[Mastador1]

Built to hold five tons, eh? Just how large were these tourists? Moochelle gonna be talkin to them folks!

[funfan]

This is a job for Super O he should go with his wife and check out just to make sure it is safe.

[null and void]

Anyone who has seen my bungee jumping picture knows how I would have reacted...

[Jack Hydrazine]

"Occasionally this happens, but that’s because we designed it this way," he said. "Whatever happened last night is a result of the protective coating doing what it’s designed to."

[AU72]

If I was there they would buying me some new pants.

[DJ MacWoW]

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[jimpick]

Damn I almost went on that on the 17 but ran out of time. Now I can’t see threw the glass.

[ken5050]

When “Windows on the World” atop the World Trade Center, first opened, the views were of course spectacular, but people were afraid. The walls were 20’ high, and all glass..and most people were afraid to get too close to them. During serive, while people were waiting to be seated, The maitr’ d would have several bus boys taking turns running full speed into the walls, and bouncing off them..to show people it was safe..

[Repeat Offender]

Would you have shipped your pants?

[Vendome]

Kewel.

Wish I had been there.

[TheOldLady]

And he should take Chris Christie with him to test the glass.

[Finny]

Wow!! Hell of a way to earn busboy wages!! {^)

Great story about Windows on the World!

[bgill]

"[The top layer of the Ledge] is designed to crack

The most insane thing I've heard all week.

[Kirkwood]

It makes a lot of sense to have a protective cosmetic layer.

[Larry Lucido]

Personally, I think they were ON crack! :-)

[kiryandil]

:-)