Teen impaled on fence at MIT, South Auckland

A man was critically injured when he was impaled while attempting to climb a fence in south Auckland this afternoon. Photo / file

A teen was seriously injured when he was impaled while attempting to climb a fence in South Auckland this afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the incident at the Manukau Institute of Technology on Otara Rd at 5.45pm, a Fire Service spokesman said.

The teen had been removed from the fence by a bystander and when firefighters arrived they began administering first aid.

A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said he was seriously injured in the incident and had been taken to Middlemore Hospital.

Otara Fire Station senior station officer Colin Wright said the victim, who was in his mid-teens, had a single puncture wound to his stomach.

"When we got there members of the public had already lifted the young fellow off the spiked fence and he was being cared for by them on the ground."

The teen was conscious and able to talk. Wright did not consider that his injuries were life threatening.

"He was coherent. I wouldn't say he was happy and bouncing off the walls but he wasn't in agony."

Wright said it was unclear whether the youngster had been going in or coming out of MIT, but he imagined he had been trying to take a shortcut.

"It'll be the longest shortcut he'll ever take I'd say because he'll be spending a bit of time in Middlemore I imagine."

MIT has been approached for comment.