Two women seriously injured after city construction site fence fell on them

Union officials will examine gates at building sites across Adelaide after two women were hospitalised on Tuesday evening when a construction gate fell on them in the CBD.

Lend Lease staff examine the gate that fell on two women at a work site on North Tce on Tuesday evening. Pic: Tait Schmaal

Two women are now in a stable condition in hospital after a heavy metal gate at a city building site fell on them as they walked past on Tuesday afternoon.

The women, aged 32 and 27 years old, were pinned to the ground when a gate at the Adelaide Medical and Nursing project on North Tce came off its hinges and landed on them just before 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The women suffered pelvic and abdominal injuries and were rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where they were undergoing treatment on Wednesday morning.

Union officials will inspect construction sites across Adelaide after the incident.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union SA secretary Aaron Cartledge said gates — which weigh up to half a tonne — similar to one which fell will be the subject of safety audits.

“This site has been in place for 14 or 15 months so we are not sure if gate stoppers have broken off or whether there has been a malfunction,” Mr Cartledge told ABC891.

Paramedics help two women who were seriously injured after a construction-site fence fell on them on Tuesday afternoon. Pic: Channel 9

“These are the kinds of issues we are looking at as well as looking at other gates in the CBD.”

A witness told The Advertiser how workers on the project site rushed to the aid of the women and diverted traffic away from the incident.

Eldbert Hoebee was across the road on the fifth floor of the Samstag Museum delivering food to a function.

“One girl had a bad injury and it took the ambulance crew well over an hour to stabilise her before she was taken with the other girl to hospital,” Mr Hoebee, from Plenty Catering Company, said.

The heavy construction-site gate that fell on two women, injuring them. Pic: Channel 9

“I was very impressed with how the workers all gathered to provide assistance and kept the traffic away to keep a clear path for the ambulance.”

Mr Cartledge said it appeared an “electronic failure” of the heavy metal gate that allows vehicles access to and from the site had caused the accident.

“It (the gate) has fallen over and slammed these women into the ground — it would have been a hell of a shock,” Mr Cartledge said.

‘I’ve had a report that one of the women has a broken leg or a hip and the other one has cuts and bruises.

Police at the scene where two women were injured on Tuesday evening after a large metal gate fell on them at the Adelaide Medical and Nursing project on North Terrace in the CBD. Pic: Naomi Jellicoe

Police at the Adelaide Medical and Nursing projects on North Terrace where the incident happened. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“The Lendlease people (the developers) are racing around with phone hook-ups with their national people because this is a pretty big incident.

“We’ll be following this up (on Wednesday) morning with a site tour by officials.”

Lendlease site manager John Burgess said he couldn’t comment and referred The Advertiser to the company’s media unit.

A Lendlease spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the incident and our thoughts are with the two injured people and their families”.

“We are continuing to work with authorities and safety remains our number one priority.”

Originally published as Two women seriously injured after city construction site fence fell on them