Racegoer critically injured at Flemington following freak tree incident

A woman in her thirties is fighting for her life following a freak incident involving a fallen tree after racing at Flemington on Saturday evening.

Spectators were leaving the racecourse via the main entrance when a giant limb of a 15-metre eucalyptus tree came crashing down in the taxi rank zone of Flemington Racecourse, which injured four people and struck multiple cars.

The woman suffered a head injury and was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where she remains in a critical condition according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Ambulance Victoria treated three other racegoers for upper body injuries – a man in his sixties and a woman in her seventies are being treated at The Alfred Hospital – while a woman in her sixties remains in St Vincent’s Hospital.

It is understood another man who went to the aid of the victims also suffered a back injury while giving assistance and was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Witnesses to the incident, including bookmaker Jonathan Walsh, said it "sounded like a gunshot" when the limb came crashing down.

Walsh tweeted "patrons came from everywhere to treat the injured", while another racegoer said it was a "very scary" end to the day.

Owner Scott Harty was also on course and tweeted: "Was so loud, I thought a temporary grandstand or something had fallen down and then looked over and saw the tree and everyone running."

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) released a statement confirming the distressing incident and said: "Our immediate thoughts are with those injured and their families. The focus of the Victoria Racing Club is providing any assistance we can to those affected."

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