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24 Dec, 2019 08:52

Crushed for deals: Five Christmas shoppers hospitalized in Sydney after balloon drop gift card gimmick sparks STAMPEDE (VIDEO)

Crushed for deals: Five Christmas shoppers hospitalized in Sydney after balloon drop gift card gimmick sparks STAMPEDE (VIDEO)

A Christmas giveaway at a mall in Sydney, Australia ended in disaster, after shoppers trampled each other as they jostled for vouchers tied to balloons. The resulting chaos put five people in the hospital.

Footage from local news shows patrons at the Westfiled Parramatta shopping center scrambling to grab balloons containing gift cards. The silver, gold and white balloons had been stored in large nets and dropped on top of the crowd, resulting in a stampede as frenzied shoppers attempted to snatch the airborne giveaways.

Screams can be heard in the video, as people shout “get up, get up!” and “hold my hand!”

Medical personnel called to the scene treated 12 people for injures. Four men and one woman were hospitalized, Reuters reported. A medical official said that those who received additional treatment suffered from “traumatic chest injuries, neck and back pain as well as nausea and dizziness.”

Scentre Group, which owns the Australian shopping chain, said that it was investigating the incident.

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