Handrails are put on posts or walls for people to hold on to for support. But they can have other uses as well. /VCG Photo

A residential community in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, proved that the handrails in the staircase of a building can be used for emergency evacuations. Residents can slide down to the ground by handrail to escape fires and other emergencies. /VCG Photo

According the Shaanxi Daily, this handrail is designed by a firefighting producer. Residents can catch a ring and sit on a sling, both of which are attached to the handrail to escape the fire after putting on a mask which could protect them from gas and dust. /VCG Photo

The sliding speed reaches 0.8 meters to 1.2 meters per second. /VCG Photo