Nine hospitalised in suspected mass overdose at backpacker house in Perth; three critical
Updated
At least three people are fighting for their lives in intensive care and six others have been hospitalised after a suspected mass drug overdose at a Perth property, with witnesses describing how people suffering "seizures" were taken away on stretchers.
The occupants are believed to be backpackers or students living at the property, which is in the inner Perth suburb of Victoria Park.
Emergency services were called to the Colombo Street home just before midnight after reports nine people were unconscious or violently ill.
Seven men and two women were rushed to three separate hospitals around the city.
Three men were taken to Royal Perth Hospital; two of them are in intensive care.
Two men and a woman were taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, with the woman in intensive care.
Another two men and a woman were in Fiona Stanley Hospital. They have since been discharged.
Two students, from Germany and Colombia, have told the ABC they were not involved in the incident, but were shocked to find out what had happened when they returned to the house last night.
Police have cordoned off the property and say they hope to release further information about the incident later today.
It is believed some substances have been removed from the property for analysis.
Organised Crime has been notified due to the presence of drugs, police said.
People 'having seizures' while being stretchered out of house
After hearing noises, local resident Sebastian Arevalo went outside to find eight ambulances and at least six police cars on the street.
"It was just absolutely crazy. People were rushing around, rushing into the house … it was really, really scary," he said.
"And people just started coming out in stretchers, most of them were in like an unconscious state, but one of them was kicking and having almost like a spasm."
His partner Sophie Barnet said the whole episode was terrifying to watch.
"They [the stretchers] were all coming past in a line it was so scary and they had glassed eyes and they were like in a different world it was so scary to look at … a lot of them were having seizures," she said.
"A lot of them were shaking and trying to get out of the bed, but I don't think they knew they were doing it.
"And there was one guy that was really violent on the stretcher, he was like punching the air and everything."
Mr Arevalo said a lot of backpackers stay at the house.
"We know that it's a bed and breakfast sort of thing for backpackers … they do some work around the house and that kind of accommodates their stay," he said.
"We've had people come over and borrow stuff to work on the house, apart from that it's just your average house really."
The couple said ambulances and police were called to the house last weekend, but they did not see anyone being taken away.
Groups of backpackers stay for weeks, neighbour says
Neighbour Garry Baden-Davidson said it was common to see different people staying at the property.
"It's like a backpackers' [hostel], they come and go. For two weeks, one lot will come and then another lot will go out," he said.
"This lot here … the only noise I heard from them was on New Year's Eve and it wasn't really that loud either.
"It's pretty sad really, young people like that to get into that situation, really sad, they seem like happy-go-lucky type people, they come and go, they all seem to have part-time jobs and work."
Another neighbour, Mark, also witnessed the incident and said there had been problems at the house previously.
"The kids who were still with it were sort of upset and crying and carrying on with all the policemen, but they were all obviously from overseas," he said.
"My brother-in-law Tim, who owns the place [next door], he's had contact with them [the property owners] before because they're Chinese people with too many people staying here.
"They've had problems with backpackers before … the policemen said there were a number of beds inside, so maybe 10."
Topics: drugs-and-substance-abuse, perth-6000
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