Boy, 8, fighting for life after statue falls on top of him in freak accident at resort

Arizona officials do not believe there is any foul play involved in the statue falling on the boy, who has since been rushed to hospital in an extremely critical condition

An eight-year-old boy is fighting for his life after a famous statue fell on top of him at an exclusive resort.

Firefighters raced to the luxury Arizona Biltmore resort in Phoenix after the statue fell on top of him at about 9am local time. Phoenix Fire Department Captain Todd Keller said the statue, made of cement and concrete, fell on the boy before he was rushed to hospital in an extremely critical condition.

The Arizona Biltmore is a famous resort and was sold for $705 million (£556 million) earlier this year. It is unclear how the statue fell on top of the boy.

Photos taken at the scene show police investigating the area with a cordon having been put in place. A toppled statue also appeared to have smashed on the ground and left some sort of debris on the ground.

Captain Kelly told KTAR News: "We don’t know really…what was going on right beforehand. They're still trying to figure out exactly what happened."

ABC15 reported police do not suspect foul play. Captain Kelly went on to praise firefighters who responded rapidly to the situation.

He said: "In situations like this, the best thing that can happen is that the child gets transported to that hospital as quickly as they can, and that’s exactly what these firefighters did...and transport this child to a paediatric emergency centre.”

The Arizona Biltmore is a landmark resort known for its statues that are called the "Solemn Sprites." The resorts website said: "Nestled within the scenic beauty of the Arizona Biltmore lies a captivating tale that ties together Greek mythology, artistic legacy, and the secret guardianship of the earth.

"The 19 Solemn Sprite statues that grace the grounds hold a history as rich and intriguing as the land they watch over." The statues were created as part of a collaboration between American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and artist Alfonso Ianelli.