A 69-year-old woman suffered a broken arm after she fell through an opened access panel while shopping in downtown Victoria on Saturday.
The incident happened at the Rexall Pharmacy on Douglas Street where the shopper fell 3 metres into the basement and landed on concrete.
11 firefighters were dispatched to the pharmacy. They set up a tripod with a pulley system over the access panel, and lowered three firefighters into the hole.
They were able to stabilize the woman before hoisting her out.
She was alert and talking with emergency responders.
It isn’t clear why the panel was open.
VicPD are investigating.
