Firefighter amazed no one badly hurt in balcony collapse

About 240 teenage party-goers escaped serious injury when a balcony collapsed at a house in the Auckland suburb of Parnell early today.

A firefighter said he could not believe no one was badly hurt.

About 200 party-goers were on the balcony and 40 were standing underneath when it collapsed without warning as the party wound up shortly before 1am.

The injuries were restricted to a cut hand and a bruise or two.

"It fell roughly around four metres," firefighter Shaun Pilgrim said. "They were extremely lucky. It was a big old 110-year-old villa."

He said it was probably the way the balcony collapsed that saved people.

"It let go at one end and swung down."

He said the balcony had heavy beams underneath and they dropped on the party goers.

"In terms of luck I would have to put it at about an eight (out of 10)."

It was Mr Pilgrim's second balcony collapse this year.

In April he was at a family wedding in the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island when a balcony collapsed at a resort.

As the wedding pictures were being taken the balcony collapsed, taking about 20 people down with it.

A woman broke her leg and a man received moderate chest injuries. It put 14 people in hospital.

He said people probably escaped serious injuries in Parnell through good luck today.

He said no one was jumping up and down on the balcony before it collapsed but some of the sub-structure looked "a bit dodgy" although the main structure appeared sound.

Firefighters propped up the balcony to make it safe.

- NZPA