In brief
Kevin Reid's childhood staircase, made of pipe fittings and likened to a ladder, gained fame on the 'Death Stairs' Facebook group. This platform, now with nearly 800,000 members, features a collection of hazardous staircases from around the globe, where ascension can be risky and descent potentially lethal.
In Dublin, Ireland, Kevin Reid grew up with a staircase in his childhood home that he'd never considered dangerous until it captured the attention of the internet. This staircase, a vibrant green contraption made from pipe fittings, resembles a ladder and has now become the centerpiece of the "Death Stairs" Facebook group, which boasts close to 800,000 members. Launched as a small gathering of friends, the group has turned into a widespread collection showcasing precarious staircases, with an intent to highlight the risks associated with their design.Mr. Reid's father built this quirky staircase as part of a two-story expansion, and although Reid acknowledges its uniqueness, he insists it's not as perilous as it seems. The steps, which can only accommodate one foot at a time, offer a surprisingly enjoyable descent. “I wouldn’t do it in sock soles, but you can fairly rush down them and they make a nice ringing sound when you go down them,” he remarked.The Facebook group features a diverse range of stairs that meet its "death stairs" criteria, from narrow and triangular steps to steep wooden stairways affixed to New Zealand cliff faces. While Reid's staircase may not pose a death threat personally to him, its newfound notoriety among group members illustrates the diverse and often absurd nature of the stairs shared online.
