Dozens of witnesses reportedly looked on in horror as a U.S. tourist visiting Rome screamed in pain after impaling himself on a metal fence at the Colosseum.
The man — a 47-year-old American citizen living in Taiwan — was stabbed in the spine while attempting to climb over the historic monument’s fence. He was possibly attempting to get a better view, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.
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Bystanders who saw the horrific event called for help as the tourist, stuck on the fence, screamed until he lost consciousness. Law enforcement and paramedics quickly arrived at the scene, but it took them more than 20 minutes to remove him from the fence, Il Messaggero reported.
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Once freed, the tourist was immediately brought to the emergency room, where doctors performed surgery. The man’s lower back wound was closed with more than 80 stitches, and he was hospitalized in serious condition, the outlet reported.
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The unidentified man — who was unable to speak for hours after the incident — was on vacation with family and friends and had only been in Rome for a few days, Il Messaggero reported.
The horrifying incident took place less than a week after Pope Francis was laid to rest in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore. The April 26 funeral ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica drew more than 250,000 mourners from across the globe to the country’s capital, according to the Vatican.
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Italy’s Civil Protection Department and police force Polizia di Stato did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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