Glass rains on elderly couple as pane shatters at Queenstown mall

A glass pane shattered above an elderly couple at a busy Queenstown mall this evening. Photo / James Allan

An elderly couple sheltered underneath an umbrella as glass "exploded" above their heads without warning at an inner city Queenstown mall today.

"It literally just exploded," a bystander told The Herald.

"You've got glass exploding at the busiest food court in town."

A glass pane shattered at a busy Queenstown mall this evening. Photo / James Allan

There was no warning of the glass pane imploding at O'Connells Shopping Centre, believed to be caused by scorching temperatures in the city.

Two people with what looked to be minor injuries were treated by St John Ambulance and police also arrived to cordon off the area as shards of glass were swept up.

The area was cordoned off to sweep up the shattered glass. Photo / James Allan

People were forced to shake broken glass off their clothing after the accident, which happened around 5.30pm this evening.

A witness said around 10-20kg of glass littered the streets, crunched by the feet of hundreds of pedestrians out on New Year's Eve.

One man was forced to shake broken glass from his clothing after a glass pane shattered at O'Connells Shopping Centre in Queenstown. Photo / James Allan

A bystander said the shopping centre building was due for refurbishment and that the glass might've been in the building for "quite a number of years".

Police have been contacted for comment.