Young man critical after falling from balcony
A North Island man in his early 20s is still in a critical condition in Christchurch Hospital after falling three storeys from the balcony of a Queenstown Airbnb property on Saturday.
Sergeant Simon Matheson, of Queenstown Police, says initial inquiries have revealed that railing gave way on a third-floor balcony of the Frankton Road residential property, causing the man to fall about six metres, just before 6.30pm.
Police investigations are continuing but Police believe that whatever occurred was not due to the actions of any person on the balcony, Matheson says.
“We have no evidence that suggests that any person on the deck had any impact to the rail failing at this point in the investigation,” he says.
Two Otago Southland Rescue Helicopters, two St John Ambulances, Police and Queenstown Fire Brigade volunteers all turned out to the accident, near the Queenstown end of Frankton Road.
Fire volunteers assisted St John Ambulance paramedics in moving the patient into a rescue helicopter and he was rushed to Christchurch Hospital where Police say his condition, while still critical, is stable.
Matheson says it’s too early to comment on what happened and Police are investigating just why the accident occurred.
“We’re investigating what happened and why and we will refer our findings to the relevant partner agencies and Government agencies,” Matheson says. “We are liaising with a range of agencies and the matter will be forwarded on to the appropriate agency once that is determined.”
Others were on the balcony at the time, but it’s not known exactly how many. Nobody else was injured.
