Netizens are freaking out over recently released photos of a 5-story slide, which is set to open this month in the Printemps Mall in Shanghai’s Pudong district.
The slide spans five floors, spiralling down to the ground ‘like a dragon.’ A ride to the bottom is said to take around 16 seconds.
While many netizens are excited to try the new ride out, plenty are also concerned about safety. A top commenter on Weibo wrote: “This will cause deaths, seriously.” Another wrote, "What if someone dies in there... and the next person on the slide discovers him? Oh my god.”
Other comments range from optimistic (“It’ll be more fun if it was transparent”), to trivial (“What if someone farted inside?").
One shopper told the Shanghai Daily: “My son was excited and very interested to have a try, but I still have some concerns on its safety.”
Despite all the uncertainty regarding the slide’s safety, the Pudong New Area Market Supervision and Management Bureau dismissed the concerns, saying that “the slide does not fit into any special equipment category, thus compulsory inspection is not required.” If this does not inspire confidence in you then fear not, as the Bureau also noted that the authorities in the Printemps Mall have “sent the slide for tests”, and are “fixing potential safety hazards.”
The slide is not the first of its kind. Europe has had two similar creations: one set of giant adult slides which served as an art piece in London’s Tate Modern Gallery, and one pair of academic slides in Munich Technical University’s student centre. The former was art, while the latter existed for the convenience of students heading downstairs. There have been no reports of accidents.
The 20-meter-tall slide is set to open to the public on February 22 after Lantern Festival. You may want to think twice about bringing your kids to this one!
[Photos via NihaoSuzhou]