Abseiler killed while carrying out routine maintenance at Gold Coast Convention Centre

A man has died after falling about 20m while doing maintenance work at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

The 29-year-old was working on an air-conditioning duct above the main arena when he fell just before 10am, initial investigations by the Queensland Police Service suggest.

His coworkers called paramedics but he died at the scene.

“There were a number of maintenance workers employed by the convention centre… there’s been support offered to them by both police and the convention centre,” a Queensland Police Service officer at the scene said.

The contractor was an experienced abseiler and was wearing full safety gear, police believe.

However, initial reports suggest he was not latched on to anything when he fell.

Queensland Workplace Health and Safety officers are investigating and police are preparing a report for the Coroner.

The fall is the second fatal workplace accident on the Gold Coast today, and follows the death of a man in an explosion and fire at Yatala oil recycling factory.