Two dead after Melbourne wall collapse

Updated

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Two dead after Melbourne wall collapse (7pm TV News VIC)

Two people are dead and another is critically injured following a wall collapse on Swanston Street in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton.

Officials have confirmed one man and one woman, believed to be in their late teens, were killed, while another woman, 19, has been rushed to hospital.

Police say all three were pedestrians.

"They appear to have been pedestrians at the wrong place at the wrong time," Inspector Ian Lindsay said.

People in the area between Queensberry and Victoria streets reported hearing a noise like "thunder" shortly after 3pm.

Dozens then rushed to the scene at the old Carlton & United brewery site and tried desperately to clear debris from where the three people were trapped.

Police and WorkSafe Victoria are investigating.

Inspector Lindsay says wind gusts may have caused the collapse.

This afternoon, wind gusts of 115 kilometres per hour were recorded at Fawkner Beacon and 102kph at St Kilda when a squall line passed through the city.

The State Emergency Service received more than 400 calls for assistance.

Here is how the story unfolded: (All times AEDT):

5:46pm:

Here is video from the Victoria Police media conference:

5:18pm:

Inspector Ian Lindsay says it seems a strong wind gust caused the 15-metre section of wall to collapse.

He praised the efforts of bystanders who tried to rescue the three people under the rubble.

"Bystanders have actually gone in and lifted the bricks and other building materials off. "It's considerable bit of bricks, it's gusty conditions. It's a fair bit of an effort to get the bricks off the injured persons. "It's a great response from them. They've got to their aid. They've done the first aid prior to the paramedics. We commend them for that. "It's tragic. But we could have also had peak hour when we could have had larger numbers."

5:10pm:

Construction firm Grocon said the collapse at the Carlton brewery site was a "terrible tragedy".

Deputy chief executive Carolyn Viney said the company would conduct its own internal investigation.

"We extend our sympathies to the families of those killed and to the person injured, and we also thank those who worked at the scene to assist in trying to rescue them. "This is a terrible tragedy for all concerned, particularly coming at this time of year when people are preparing for the Easter break."



Grocon bought the majority of the old brewery site from RMIT in 2006.

The company said while it planned to develop the site, there was no construction work underway.

4:56pm:

Here is video of witnesses speaking to the ABC:

4:53pm:

Inspector Ian Lindsay says police have not yet identified the victims.

He says the injured woman is 19, while it is believed the two people killed are in their late teens.

"They appear to have been pedestrians at the wrong place at the wrong time when the wall collapsed."

Inspector Lindsay said it was believed the wall might have come down due to high winds but that it was subject to investigation.

4:49pm:

Police are now holding a media conference.

4:48pm:

Swanston Street and surrounding streets remain closed to traffic and it is likely to remain closed for another 90 minutes to two hours.

4:44pm:

ABC weatherman Paul Higgins says there was a line of squalls that moved through Melbourne, with wind gusts of over 100 kilometres per hour, at the same time of the wall collapse.

4:37pm:

ABC reporter Hamish Fitzsimmons filed this report to News 24 a short time ago.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Two bodies still at the scene of wall collapse (ABC News)

4:33pm:

The ABC has spoken to a number of witnesses:

"We were trying to get the bricks, we were just in a panic. We started digging, we could see the people's head and torso. It was frantic."

Another said:

"There was one person moving, so they tried to help them first. "There was a lot of wind happening at the time, but it shouldn't have happened."

A third said:

"We were in our office. We just heard this almighty crash, bang. Apparently it was when the wall crashed over. "When I came out, I saw the wall had gone."

4:22pm:

Bystanders and authorities struggle to clear the scene of the wall collapse:

4:20pm:

RMIT University ‏@RMIT Our hearts go out to the victims of the wall collapse in Swanston St at the Grocon site.

4:10pm:

There has been speculation that the wall may have come down as a result of strong winds across the city today.

ABC weather specialist Graham Creed told ABC News 24:

"There have been strong, gusty winds moving though parts of Melbourne and Victoria today in association with a cold front. "The weather bureau says more damaging winds are likely to move through Gippsland and the central district."

4:07pm:

Journalism student Broede Carmody, who is at the scene, reports that the collapsed wall was part of the old Carlton & United brewery site.

Other reports on Twitter suggest it was a construction site for the Swanston Square development.

4:04pm:

Here is another photo submitted to the ABC by witness Jonathan Lian:

3:57pm:

Construction union CFMEU says it is a Grocon construction site.

ABC Radio Melbourne ‏@774melbourne "My understanding is a freak gust of wind came through" CFMEU head John Setka tells @SaintFrankly a tall brick wall collapsed w/o warning

3:54pm:

Here is another photo sent in by the ABC's Hamish Fitzsimmons.

He says the two bodies are still under tarpaulins.

"We've been speaking to people who are still standing here quite shocked. They've described the frantic scenes. "They were trying to dig the people out by hand, throwing bricks on to the road. "As you could imagine it would have been quite busy. It's literally on the edge of the CBD, right near RMIT University. "There is a building site here. There were quite strong winds in Melbourne today and it seems like a single brick wall that's come down under pressure."

3:52pm:

Eye-witness Jonathan Lian has described chaotic scenes as the wall came down:

"It sounded like thunder. It was really loud. It echoed throughout the street. When I saw outside there was dust, the wall had just collapsed. "Two people were buried. Everyone was trying to get people out. It was chaos. It was really hard to see, there was dust everywhere. The paramedics and police are here, they're getting the bodies out. It's a huge tragedy."

3:49pm:

Hamish Fitzsimmons ‏@hamishfitz Witnesses to the wall collapse on Swanston St are saying they tried to dig people out of the rubble with their hands @abcnews

3:47pm:

Radio Australia producer Nadia Hume arrived at the scene after the wall collapsed.

She says it appears to have fallen intact across pedestrians and cyclists on the street.

"The wall has fallen onto the footpath, it's landed in the bike path as well. "It's not a pretty site... there's bikes strewn and the road is blocked off and there's a number of ambulances and Metropolitan Fire Brigade crews."

3:45pm:

This photo from the ABC's Hamish Fitzsimmons:

3:41pm: Victoria Police have issued the following statement:

"Emergency services are currently on the scene of an incident in Carlton where its believed a wall has collapsed on a number of pedestrians. "The incident, which occurred at the corner of Swanston Street and Cornell Place, was reported to police just before 3pm and it is believed a man and a woman have been killed as a result. "A second woman has been injured and has been conveyed to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition. "The area has been cordoned off and emergency services remain at the scene."

3:40pm:

This photo was taken by ABC reporter Nadia Hume:

3:36pm:

Images from the scene show the area has been cordoned off by police and a large number of fire and rescue crews are on site.

3:34pm:

The Ambulance Service says one man and one woman have died.

3:26pm:

The ABC confirms that two people have died in the incident.

Another person is in a critical condition and has been taken to hospital.

Map: Melbourne wall collapse

Topics: accidents---other, accidents, emergency-incidents, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted