The famous Zhangjiajie glass bridge has not collapsed. (Photo : Getty Images)
The internet was infested with a viral video that showed a bridge falling which killed eight people and injured 40. The collapsing bridge was believed to the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge.
The video captured a viewing audience of 3.7 million users. Later on, the news was debunked because the video was about a bridge in Vietnam that collapsed three years ago.
Many netizens were quick to clarify that the highest and longest glass bridge in China is intact and the video referred to another bridge.
The video of the northern Vietnamese bridge showed footage of a funeral march and the mourners fell on the stream below. The coffin was later thrown away as panic grew.
The collapse was caused by the vibrations produced by people walking on the bridge and led to its eventual destruction.
Last year, the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge crack was highly publicized. The glass bridge initially attracted thousands of visitors but was closed 13 days after the opening.
The closure of the glass bridge was due to installation of additional reinforcement and did not fall, contrary to the viral fake report.
The additional reinforcement was done to accommodate the overwhelming number of tourists. The bridge cost $3.4 million to construct.
"We're overwhelmed by the volume of visitors," a spokesperson from the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon's marketing and sales department.
The bridge was only able to accommodate 8,000 visitors per day but the volume of people who came is twice as much.
The glass bridge is 430 meters long and connects two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie. It hangs over a canyon that is found 300 meters below and was inspired by famous movie settings like in "Avatar."
A real thrill seeker will find excitement in walking over glass that is 6 meters wide, and indestructible even if hit with a sledgehammer.
Design of the bridge was made by Israeli architect Haim Dotan.
