By Ollie Ritchie
The real estate industry will discuss the use of metal stakes for open home signs after a boy was impaled through the head with one yesterday afternoon.
The 14-year-old remains in a critical condition in Starship Hospital, and his friends are disputing claims it happened while they were playing a game of chicken.
"We were kind of, like, just playing around and we were just sitting down," says a friend of the teen. "My mate didn't really think and he just threw it really. He didn't expect it to land on anyone."
It was initially thought the boys were playing a game of chicken at the Beachlands reserve. That isn't the case, according to a 15-year-old who was standing next the teen at the time he was injured.
"We played chicken before that. We sat down and then, while everyone wasn't aware, he just threw it up."
The stake was from an open home sign, and in a statement the Real Estate Institute said the tragic incident was distressing for all involved and it will be talking to its members about the issue.
The boy was rushed to hospital by helicopter. One witness told 3 News he saw a helicopter and several cars rushing to the scene. Another described the boy as one of the loveliest she's ever met.
"He kind of went into shock, so we had to like hold him, and he was trying to go to sleep or something, so we had to stop him from doing that."
Beachlands Chief Fire Officer Shane Rutherford is praising the work of everyone involved in removing the stake.
"Once Westpac arrived we then cut part of the stake off him with a specialised cutting tool and then extricated him through to the ambulance," says Mr Rutherford.
The boy remains in an induced coma in Starship Hospital.
3 News
