Woman’s flesh sliced from leg in horror Hobart bus mall accident

A large section of flesh from a woman’s shin was sliced “down to the bone” on Tuesday when a stainless steel panel from a newly installed shelter in Hobart’s bus mall fell on her.

An Australia Post customer took a photo of the broken bus shelter soon after an injured woman was transported to hospital with a section of flesh sliced from her shin. Picture: SUPPLIED

A WOMAN on her way to work was huddled under a new shelter in Hobart’s bus mall last week when she felt something strike her before an excruciating pain set in.

The bus commuter collapsed and screamed in agony.

A large slab of flesh had been sliced from her leg by a stainless steel panel, which had fallen from the newly installed shelter.

Speaking from her hospital bed — where she has been since Tuesday morning’s accident — the woman said the panel “sheared my shin down to the bone so there was a flap of skin loose”.

The woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, also fractured her wrist and broke several bones in her ankle during the nightmare incident.

Concerned passers-by rushed to her side, including staff at the GPO – next to the bus stop – and an ambulance was called.

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A young man named James held her while they waited and a post office employee named Penny put a jumper under the woman’s head and phoned her husband.

“I’ve been haunted by all of this,” the injured woman told the Mercury.

“I’m very civic-minded and it appals me that this could happen in a public place.

“I really want the public to be protected.”

She is recovering well, but may need grafts if more sections of skin die away, plus she’ll need to undergo further surgery. She does not know when she will be discharged from hospital and be able to return to work as a research analyst in Moonah.

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A major revamp with contemporary bus shelters, wider footpaths, new paving and up-to-date lighting was completed by the Hobart City Council just before Christmas.

Council general manager Nick Heath said several officers rushed to the scene within minutes to provide assistance to the woman.

“Our engineers are working to determine the cause of the incident,” he said.

“As a precaution, additional safety measures have been applied to each of the shelters in the bus mall.”

Mr Heath said the council’s thoughts were with the woman. “We wish her a speedy recovery,” he said.

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