Seven revellers have been forced into induced comas after overdosing on the drug MDMA.
They were attending an electronic music festival held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne yesterday.
Hardmission Festival is described as an “electronic music event characterised by hardstyle, hardcore, exceptional production and shows”.
It says on Facebook “your safety is our top priority”.
“From hydration stations to first aid points, we’ve got you covered. Let’s create a festival experience that’s not only unforgettable but safe for everyone,” it says.
The Victorian Ambulance Union said it was a “dire” situation with many of the patients critically unwell.
Union secretary Danny Hill said medics working on site were overwhelmed and called paramedics for help.
“They had a number of patients come forward throughout the night – at least eight of them required transport to hospitals,” he said.
“Seven had to be intubated, placed into an induced coma – that happened on site.
“There were other patients that were treated on site.
“To have eight in a short space of time require hospitalisation and be critically unwell that’s really high. Whatever the drug is it’s pretty deadly.”
Victoria Police said it was “investigating reports a number of people were taken to hospital seriously unwell while attending a music festival in Flemington Saturday evening”.
“Police were not aware of any critical health incidents during the event however are now making enquiries and an investigation has commenced,” a spokeswoman said.
