We all know this is a particularly bad time of year to go shopping but thank your lucky stars that you weren't at Westfield Parramatta yesterday.
Shoppers were all crowded in the retail district because there was going to be a balloon drop, which would bring free special prizes. The balloon drop was meant to celebrate a 33-hour, non-stop shopping spree, where people could buy last minute Christmas gifts at any hour of the night.
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Naturally, when you give people a free meal, per se, they'll come in their droves and elbow nanna out of the way to get it.
More than 100 people were crammed into the shopping area when the balloons were set to drop, but because there were free gifts attached to them, people got a little rowdy.
Chaotic vision shows loads of people crush together with their hands outstretched as crowd barriers topple over.
Five people had to be hospitalised because of injuries sustained during the chaos and a further 12 had to be treated at the scene. A NSW Ambulance spokesperson confirmed that some of those hospitalised were suffering from traumatic chest injuries, neck and back pain as well as nausea and dizziness.
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So you can safely say that it got real last night.
NSW Ambulance Inspector Phil Templeman said in a statement: "It is incredibly lucky that no one was more seriously injured.
"As we go into the busy holiday period and many of our shopping centres become crowded with people, we urge the community to be patient and ensure the safety of themselves and those around them."
A police investigation has been started.
Featured Image Credit: 9News