U.S. tourist impaled through lower back climbing metal fence outside the Colosseum in Rome

Witnesses reported that the man was unable to free himself and screamed in pain until he passed out

An American tourist had to be prized off a metal fence outside the Colosseum in Rome after tripping and being impaled through his lower back.

Witnesses reported that the man was unable to free himself and screamed in pain until he passed out.

The man may have been attempting to get a better view of the historic landmark, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero. Other outlets reported he was trying to take a selfie.

The incident comes less than a week after hundreds of thousands of tourists descended on Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, whose death at the age of 88 was announced on Easter Monday (AP)

The man has not been named, but he is reportedly a 47-year-old U.S. citizen living in Taiwan. He had been on vacation with family and friends and had only been in Rome for a few days, according to Il Messaggero.

Law enforcement and paramedics were called after the incident and arrived quickly, though it took more than 20 minutes to remove the man who had lost consciousness.

After he was removed from the fence, the man was taken to nearby hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, according to Fox News.

The wound, which was in the area of his lower back, needed 80 stitches to close, and the man was unable to speak for hours after the incident.

The horrifying incident comes less than a week after hundreds of thousands of mourners from across the world gathered in Rome to honor Pope Francis.

The pontiff, whose death at the age of 88 was announced on Easter Monday, was laid to rest in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore with more than 250,000 people in attendance.

Rome’s police force Polizia di Stato did not immediately respond to a request for comment