Foshan resident cuts high-rise worker's safety rope for clothesline

A resident in her late 70s in Foshan, Guangdong province, sparked controversy after cutting a high-rise worker's safety rope to use as a clothesline. The incident occurred while a worker was performing maintenance on the exterior of an apartment building.

The worker, descending from the 30th floor, discovered that approximately 10 meters of his 120-meter safety rope had been severed near the second floor. Fortunately, no one was using the rope at the moment it was cut, and the worker was able to continue using alternative safety equipment to avoid a fall.

The elderly resident claimed she was unaware the rope was professional safety equipment and intended only to use it for drying laundry. The worker chose not to report the matter to the police due to the resident's age, instead settling the dispute through the building management office for 400 yuan (approximately 80,000 KRW) to cover the cost of the damaged equipment. The incident has drawn significant criticism on Chinese social media, with many arguing that the act posed a life-threatening risk.