According to local media reports, the Australian woman had a seizure at a hotel in the coastal town of Hervey Bay, Queensland, while eating a lamington, a type of Australian dessert made from sponge cake coated in chocolate and rolled in grated coconut.
The woman was rushed to a hospital in Hervey Bay after being given CPR at the scene, according to the BBC. Witnesses say the woman had just put lamington into her mouth when she started experiencing the seizure.
In a Facebook post, the management and staff at the Beach House Hotel Hervey Bay, which was hosting the event, expressed their condolences.
“The management and staff of the Beach House Hotel offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of one of our patrons following the tragic event at our venue on Australia Day. We acknowledge and thank our supportive patrons, staff, and the Queensland Ambulance Service for their prompt and professional response while this tragic incident was unfolding. The hotel staff have been offered professional support while our thoughts firmly remain with the family at this challenging time,” the statement reads.
Eating competitions are popular during Australia Day, according to the BBC. Police have also said that the woman’s death is not suspicious but that a report would be compiled for the coroner.