The tram unloaded all its passengers at the Surfers Paradise North station due to a medical emergency that had occurred earlier at the Cavill Avenue Station.

It then moved south, but its rear went off the tracks near Ocean Avenue and Surfers Paradise Boulevard, colliding with a light pole.

Alan Jarvie, who witnessed the incident, observed the tram switching lines.

“I watched as the tram started moving; part of it went off the tracks while another part glided along the track line,” Jarvie explained.

“Suddenly, it struck a central wire post, causing wires to fall and a few sparks to fly, but it stopped quickly.

Soon after, people began arriving from all directions.”

The driver was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Services north to Helensvale have been restored but south to Broadbeach remains closed, with only buses available as transport.

G:LINK says it is investigating the cause of the derailment and working to identify any damage to the network.