Related News
Luxury car melted by skyscraper ‘death ray’
Print Edition
A BRITISH property developer said yesterday it was investigating after rays deflected by a skyscraper melted the side of a businessman’s Jaguar car.
Londoners have been shielding their eyes from the blinding glare reflected from the glass facade of 20 Fenchurch Street — nicknamed the Walkie Talkie because of its flared shape — while drivers have said that the beam has melted parts of their vehicles.
Local businessman Martin Lindsay said he was distraught when he returned to his parked Jaguar XJ near the tower in London’s financial district to find the car’s panels had warped along one side, while the wing mirror and Jaguar emblem on the front had melted.
“On the windscreen, there was a note from the construction company saying ‘your car’s buckled, could you give us a call?’” Lindsay told the BBC.
He “could not believe” the extent of the damage, he added.
Paid for damage
Developers Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group apologized and paid for the damage, and three parking spaces near the tower were taken out of use.
Eddie Cannon, a heating and air conditioning engineer, said the “death ray” melted parts of his van.
“The van looks a total mess — every bit of plastic on the left hand side and everything on the dashboard has melted,” he told the City A.M. newspaper.
The developers said in a statement: “We are taking the issue of light reflecting from 20 Fenchurch Street seriously, and are looking into the matter as a priority.”
The companies are “evaluating longer-term solutions” while consulting with local businesses to address the issue, they added.
Physicists have suggested that the concave shape of the “walkie-talkie” is responsible, focusing sunlight into a concentrated beam.
The Times newspaper said that temperatures near the tower exceeded 45 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The developers said the phenomenon was caused by “the current elevation of the sun in the sky”, and that as temperatures cool the problem should disappear.
The 37-floor office block is due to be completed in March 2014.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
