Zhou Miaorong is the inventor of the emergency escape slide. [Photo/Kankanews.com]

Emergency escape has always been a concern for residents of high-rise buildings. After years of design and research, an old man in Shanghai named Zhou Miaorong invented an escape slide.

The emergency escape slide is installed along the staircases. [Photo/Kankanews.com]

Many people choose staircases to escape when a fire breaks out, so he decided to invent an escape slide along the staircases which can take people down several flights of stairs in just seconds, Zhou said.

The slide, installed in a 26-story residential building in Shanghai’s Changning District, is made of stainless steel and aluminum. It is divided into sections that can be folded up against the walls when it is not in use. Once one section is released in an emergency, the remainder of the slide will come down and be able to be used. These sections then create a giant slide all the way to the ground floor. 

According to Zhou, users of the slide have to slow down when they turn the corner of the stairwell to avoid getting hurt. He is also improving the device, such as installing protective pads and widening the slide area to reduce potential safety risks.