On June 30th, in a residential community in Chongqing, the homeowners became disgruntled with construction workers performing high-altitude work and decided to cut the secondary safety rope of the workers operating on the 32nd floor of a high-rise building. Fortunately, the workers were equipped with dual safety ropes, otherwise, the consequences could have been disastrous. This incident made it to the top search on Baidu on July 1st.
In the community in Chongqing on the 30th, a residential building reaching 32 floors and about 110 meters high was undergoing the cleaning and repair of fallen exterior wall tiles. However, one homeowner believed that the workers’ construction could potentially damage a small garden being built on the tower’s rooftop and proceeded to cut the workers’ secondary safety rope. Thankfully, due to the dual rope safety measures and the presence of security guards, the homeowner’s actions were promptly halted.
A leaked video from the internet shows the safety rope being cut by the homeowner using a pickaxe, leading to a confrontation between the homeowner and the construction workers who insisted that it was “my garden.”
In the video, the worker named Mr. Liu mentioned that three sections of the secondary safety rope were cut, but thanks to the dual safety ropes and the timely intervention of security personnel, the workers were not harmed. He emphasized that if the safety measures were inadequate, the consequences could have been unthinkable. Moreover, many exterior wall tiles of the high-rise building were damaged and needed repair.
After the incident, the homeowner agreed to compensate privately and reached a settlement with the workers.
Regarding this, “Lao Yang Explains Legal Knowledge,” a professional in mainland China’s legal field, stated that the homeowner’s actions are suspected of constituting intentional destruction of property and endangering public safety. The homeowner’s behavior directly threatened the lives of the workers conducting high-altitude operations, which could also constitute a crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means, with the punishment potentially leading to the death penalty.
Furthermore, the workers and their organization have the right to file a civil suit against the homeowner, seeking compensation for economic losses and mental damages.
This incident has sparked heated discussions among mainland Chinese internet users. On Baidu, over 1,900 netizens participated in the discussions, with almost unanimous criticism towards the homeowner’s actions.
User “shougou2018” said: “This is clearly a crime, one cannot cut safety ropes, and moreover, the rooftop is a public area. It’s one thing to occupy it at ordinary times, but it must not hinder public use! Do you have this area on your property certificate?”
Netizen “Who am I XC” reminded everyone to reflect: “Why are there increasingly irrational incidents happening?”
The incident in Chongqing serves as a reminder of the importance of workplace safety and respect for public property, sparking debates on legal implications and societal values.