Published on May 29, 2014
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A trip to the glass balcony observation deck at the Willis Tower left a group of tourists terrified on Thursday.

The glass box observation decks on the 103rd floor of Chicago's Willis Tower are a major tourist draw.

The glass cubes jut out of the building over a height of 1353 feet and provide exceptional views of the city.

The glass balconies are designed to hold as much as five tons and the decks draw many thousands of visitors per year.

But on Thursday, May 29, a group of tourists from California got more excitement than they anticipated during a visit to the Willis Tower.

As they were photographing the night views, they suddenly heard the glass below them cracking.

Willis Tower officials said the glass cube skyboxes, opened to the public in 2009, are connected to the building by strong metal frames.

The glass bottom floor is made of three, one-and-a-half-inch thick glass panes which are coated on both sides with a special protective layer.

This protective layer is what shattered and the tourists were never in danger of falling, building officials said.

Chicago City inspectors closed the attraction until repairs are made, but said it does appear that only the protective layer was involved in the mishap.


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