Chinese man critically ill after being hit by shared bike falling from building
- Police investigating after 78-year-old sustains bleeding in the brain and multiple broken bones
- Incident is latest mishap to hit China’s shared bike industry
A 78-year-old man in eastern China is in critical condition after being hit by a shared bicycle that fell from a tall building on Friday, mainland media reported.
The man, surnamed Yang, was standing by a ground-floor gate of the building where he lives in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, when a bicycle owned by bike-sharing company Ofo fell from one of the windows above, Jiangxi Television’s City Channel reported.
He was being treated in hospital for bleeding in the brain and several broken bones.
Yang’s daughter-in-law, surnamed Li, told the broadcaster Yang had been resting beside the gate while taking a walk on Friday afternoon when the bike hit him, knocking him to the ground.
Neighbours came to help after hearing the impact, and Yang was taken to hospital, the report stated.
“He has suffered bleeding in the brain and multiple broken bones over his body,” Li was quoted as saying. “The doctor said he is critically ill.”
Police were investigating who was responsible for the bicycle, the report said.
“A couple of days ago, the bike was in the stairway between the third and fourth floors,” an unnamed neighbour was quoted as saying, adding that it was common for residents to bring shared bikes – which are supposed to be left in public places – into the building.
Reports of people being hurt by objects falling from buildings – ranging from apples and cigarettes to larger items – have appeared regularly in Chinese newspapers.
A woman in the southern city of Guangzhou was paralysed from the neck down last April when she was hit by a dog falling from an industrial plant.
