Canterbury earthquake building failure

On 4 September 2010 the Canterbury region, including Christchurch city, suffered a 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

Numerous aftershocks followed including the 4.9 magnitude Boxing Day earthquake on 26 December 2010 and the 6.3 magnitude 22 February 2011 earthquake in which 185 died and many people were injured.

The largest loss of life was in the CTV building in Madras Street where 115 people died. A further 18 people died in the Pyne Gould Corporation (PGC) building in Cambridge Terrace and another 36 people were killed in other parts of the central business district (CBD).

The Commission decided the inquiry would include any building within the CBD which failed causing loss of life. As well as the CTV  and PGC buildings, the Commission also investigated The Press building in Cathedral Square, the Link Centre in High Street, the Methodist Church on Durham Street as well as numerous commercial premises on Colombo Street, Cashel Street, Gloucester Street, Hereford Street, Lichfield Street and Manchester Street.

The Commission also widened the inquiry to include any other building in the suburbs which caused loss of life including commercial premises on Riccarton Road in Riccarton, Coleridge Street in Sydenham, Worcester Street in Linwood and a residential property in St Albans.

Further information see: Victims of the quake - February 22, 2011 (Stuff website)*

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