Willis Tower - SkyDeck - Chicago, Illinois, USA
N 41° 52.729 W 087° 38.191
16T E 447185 N 4636517
Terror at 1,353ft: They said it was unbreakable but this was the horrifying moment Chicago tower block's 103rd floor glass viewing platform CRACKED under tourists' feet
Waymark Code: WMKXJW
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 06/09/2014
Views: 12
The former Sears Tower now the Willis Tower was completed in 1974. From 1974 to 1996 the building remained the tallest in the world.
Visitors can travel to the 103rd floor, called the Skydeck. It is the highest working floor in the structure. The Towers SkyDeck has 4 Glass boxes protruding from the SkyDeck, Called the Ledge, enabling visitors to stand on the glass floor over 1300 feet above the streets of Chicago below.
When I stood out on the glass floor my fears were the same as everyone who stands out on The Willis Tower's iconic Skydeck Ledge.
"On Wednesday night it almost came to pass when a family visiting the Chicago skyscraper suffered the scare of their lives when the glass floor of the tourist attraction 1,353-feet up cracked as they sat down for a picture.
The astonishing incident caused staff to hurriedly evacuate them as the distinct sound of shattering glass could be heard creeping across the glass enclosure that juts out from the 103rd floor of the building.
Family visiting from California evacuated from Willis Tower 1,353ft above the streets of Chicago
Glass floor of tourist attraction The Ledge appeared to shatter beneath them
Transparent viewing deck opened in 2009 on 103rd floor and the three-inch thick glass is meant to withstand 5-tons
The Garibay family said that staff told them the glass was unbreakable before they stepped on
Willis Tower spokesman said that although unusual, this has happened before and is perfectly safe
All four boxes of The Ledge were closed on Thursday morning for maintenance" Text from article by: James Nye Published: 11:37 EST, 29 May 2014 in the Daily Mail - (
visit link)
Address:
233 S. Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL