Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission – Te Komihana Rūwhenua o Waitaha

Those who lost relatives and friends in the 22 February earthquake can be assured that there will be a very thorough inquiry into the failure of buildings that resulted in loss of life.
Chair, Justice Mark Cooper
 

Hearings About Other Buildings (Except CTV and PGC) Whose Failure Resulted in Loss of Life (Week 2)

The week beginning 23 January 2012 the Commission held public hearings about the following individual buildings whose failure resulted in loss of life:

  • 116 Lichfield Street;
  • 89/89A Cashel Street;
  • 91Cashel Street;
  • 93 Cashel Street;
  • 194 Hereford Street; and
  • 200-204 Manchester Street.

Timetable   

 DateTimeBuildingDescriptionPresenter
23 January 10am 116 Lichfield Street (Ruben Blades Hair Academy)  An unreinforced masonry heritage building on the southwest corner of Lichfield and Manchester Streets. 116 Lichfield Street hearing summary by Mark Zarifeh, Counsel Assisting the Commission
  10.20am      Eelco Wiersma, owner of 116 Lichfield Street
  11am      Glen McConnell, contractor
  11.30am     BREAK
  11.50am     Glen McConnell, contractor
  12.35pm     Sean Gardiner, structural engineer
  1.15pm     LUNCH
  2pm     Sean Gardiner, structural engineer
  3.40pm     BREAK
  4pm     Paul Campbell, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  4.30pm      Peter Smith, Spencer Holmes, structural engineer
  5pm      Steve McCarthy, Environmental Policy and Approvals Manager, Christchurch City Council
  5.45pm      Jason Lavington, Cunningham Lindsay, loss adjustor (written statement only)
  5.50pm     HEARING COMPLETE
24 January 9.30am

89/89A Cashel Street (Deval and 3 Wise Men)

91Cashel Street (123 Mart)

93 Cashel Street (Trocadero Bakery)

 Two and three storey unreinforced masonry, concrete and timber buildings on the north side of Cashel Street around the middle of Cashel Mall 89/89A, 91, 93 Cashel Street hearing summary by Mark Zarifeh, Counsel Assisting the Commission
  9.55am     Beverley Broomhall, eyewitness
  10.05am     Jan Smith, eyewitness
  10.10am     Antony Gough, Hereford Holdings, owner of 89 and 93 Cashel Street
  11am     BREAK
  11.20am      Tracy Gough, Westmore Properties, owner of 91 Cashel Street
  12.20pm     Martin Crundwell, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  1pm     LUNCH
  1.45pm     Martin Crundwell (continued)
  2.15pm      Andrew Brown, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  3.10pm      Alistair Boyce, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  3.35pm     BREAK
  3.50pm     Steve McCarthy, Environmental Policy and Approvals Manager, Christchurch City Council
  4.55pm      Peter Smith, Spencer Holmes, structural engineer
  5.15pm  

 

 HEARING COMPLETE
25 January 9.30am 194 Hereford Street (Joe's Garage)

 

Two storey unreinforced masonry building situated on the corner of Hereford Street and Liverpool Street.  

 194 Hereford Street hearing summary by Mark Zarifeh, Counsel Assisting the Commission
  9.45am     James Whelan, owner of 194 Hereford Street
  9.55am      Steve McCarthy, Environmental Policy and Approvals Manager, Christchurch City Council
  10.15am      John Stuart O'Loughlin, O'Loughlin Taylor Spence, structural engineer
  11.25am     BREAK
  11.45am      Phil Wilby, formerly of NZ Civil and Construction(video link)
  12.20pm     Rhys Collin Smith, O'Loughlin Taylor Spence, structural engineer
  1.05pm     LUNCH
  1.45pm      Rhys Collin Smith (continued)
  3pm     Peter Smith, structural engineer, Spencer Holmes
  3.10pm      HEARING COMPLETE
26 January 9.30am  200-204 Manchester Street (Iconic Bar) Two storey unreinforced masonry semi-detached structured occupying the site on the south-east side of the intersection of Manchester Street and Gloucester Street. 200-204 Manchester Street hearing summary by Mark Zarifeh, Counsel Assisting the Commission.
  10am     Amy Cooney, eye witness and bereaved family member
  10.30am      Warren Lewis, Lewis and Barrow, structural engineer
  11.30am     BREAK
  11.45am     Christopher Gordon, Lewis and Barrow, structural engineer (by video link)
  1.20pm     Warren Lewis (continued)
  1.35pm     LUNCH
  2.20pm     Garry Looker, Symphony Projects, owner of 200-204 Manchester Street (video link)
  2.35pm     Warren Lewis (continued)
  3.10pm     Simon Gifford, Lewis and Barrow, structural engineer
  3.25pm     Mark McKenzie, Contract Construction
  3.30pm     BREAK
  3.45pm     John Mitchell, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  4.10pm      Mark Ryburn, Opus International Consultants, structural engineer
  4.35pm     Neville Higgs, structural engineer
  5.20pm     BREAK
  5.30pm      Steve McCarthy, Environmental Policy and Approvals Manager, Christchurch City Council
  6.30pm      HEARING ADJOURNED until 4pm 2 February when Peter Smith, structural engineer, Spencer Holmes, will be heard.

Counsel Appearing

Counsel assisting the Commission

116 Lichfield Street

  • Duncan Laing and Nadine Daines, Simpson Grierson for Christchurch City Council
  • Helen Smith, Duncan Cotterill for Sean Gardiner
  • Daniel McLellan, barrister for Opus International Consultants

89/89A, 91, 93 Cashel Street

  • Duncan Laing and Nadine Daines for Christchurch City Council
  • Hamish Evans, Young Hunter for Tracy Gough Properties
  • Daniel McLellan, barrister for Opus International Consultants
  • Hans Van Schreven, Clark Boyce for Hereford Holdings

194 Hereford Street

  • Duncan Laing and Nadine Daines for Christchurch City Council
  • Richard Raymond, barrister for O'Loughlin Taylor Spence

200-204 Manchester Street

  • Duncan Laing and Nadine Daines for Christchurch City Council
  • Daniel McLellan, barrister for Opus International Consultants 
  • Rebecca Morgan, Duncan Cotterill for Lewis and Barrow