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St Lucia birthday party lucky not to end in fatalities according to first responders

Toby Crockford
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A St Lucia birthday party was lucky not to end in fatalities according to police on scene, after a rear balcony collapsed during Saturday night.

Emergency services were called to 27 Highland Terrace just after 7.30pm and nine people, all aged in their 20s, were hospitalised with minor injuries including cuts, abrasions and broken bones.

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Nine hospitalised after Brisbane balcony collapse

Nine people, all aged in their 20s, were hospitalised after the balcony at the rear of the house gave way during a party on Saturday night. Vision: Channel Seven.

Witness Julia Saleemi told the ABC: "It just collapsed underneath us ... it was horrendous to see."

According to neighbours there were at least three boys, possibly as many as five, who moved into the house in early 2016 and were believed to be University students originally from New South Wales.  

Martin Moore, who lives next door to the house, said he and his family went out to dinner on Saturday night and came back to find their street crawling with emergency services personnel.

According to police, there were an estimated 20 people on top of the balcony at the time of the collapse, however no one directly underneath.

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Mr Moore said while talking to police on scene, an officer said if there had been people directly underneath there would have been fatalities.

"They're good kids, they're a joy to have living next door to us and it's unfortunate something like this happened," Mr Moore said.

"There were more than 50 people there when we left for dinner and the boys do have parties, but they're never out of control."

Other neighbours, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fairfax Media they saw a DJ up on the deck prior to the collapse and said they knew something was wrong when the music suddenly went silent.

However, they didn't share Mr Moore's opinion of the students. Nearby residents said the boys' parties featured strobe lights and particularly loud music, often lasting into the early hours of the morning, which kept neighbours awake.

One neighbour said she closed two layers of glass doors and turned on the TV to try and drown out the noise, but it could still be heard.

"When they decide to have a party they don't do it in halves."

She also added when the boys had a party late last year, which stretched over an entire long weekend, she rang and asked them to turn the music down only to be hung up on.

Nearby residents said they previously received a flyer warning them about the boys' birthday party, which was scheduled to start at midday and run until midnight.

The Queensland Ambulance Service said more than 100 people were estimated to have attended the party and echoed the beliefs of police that the party-goers were lucky to only have minor injuries.

Five patients were taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and four went to the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Brisbane City Council was understood to be investigating.

With AAP