A WOMAN has been killed in a freak carpark accident at the Gold Coast’s Pacific Fair shopping centre.

It’s believed the woman, 61, was trying to extract a ticket from the controversial new paid parking machines just after 2pm and accidentally hit the accelerator on her vehicle.

She is understood to have been torn from her car and struck the boom gate box, suffering fatal injuries.

Police are investigating.

Paramedics believe the woman opened her car door after the crash and rolled on to the ground. She was found by the side of her vehicle in cardiac arrest.

Emergency services remain on the scene.

Paid parking was recently installed at Pacific Fair as part of a $670 million upgrade of the Broadbeach shopping centre, sparking public outcry.

media_camera Emergency services at the scene of a fatal accident involving a boom gate at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast. Picture Glenn Hampson