A toddler is fighting for her life and the rest of her family are in hospital after a boom gate attached to a pace car at a Queensland racetrack failed to retract, causing the heavy metal structure to smash into the crowd.
Emergency services were called to Redcliffe Paceway, northof Brisbane, just before 7pm last night after reports a child had been left with horrific facial and abdominal injuries after the pace car mechanism, which operates as a starting gate and extends out the sides of the vehicle, failed.
It's believed the pace car was driving off the harness racing track when one of the gates failed to close, instead hitting the Kensington Grove family who were watching the race.
A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said four people, a man and woman both aged 39 and two kids aged one and two, were rushed to hospitals across Brisbane.
The man is in a serious but stable condition at Royal Brisbane Hospital with head injuries, and the two-year-old girl is at Queensland Children's Hospital in a critical condition.
"It's a tragedy when you see these injuries to a young child, you know two-and-a-half years old," Sergeant Greg Price told reporters last night.
"It's a tragedy to the family, to the emergency services who attended here and to the racing community who were here and witnessed the event."
After the horrific event, Redcliffe Harness Racing Club took to Facebook to thank bystanders who assisted.
"Our thoughts and love with those injured in the mobile incident (no names deliberately). Thanks to everyone who helped so quickly," the club's post read.
Workplace Health and Safety as well as police are investigating, and those at the track at the time of this accident are being offered counselling.
