By ALESHA CAPONE
BRIMBANK City Council has taken pre-emptive action to ensure the safety of the area’s walls and structures, after a Carlton wall collapse killed three people last month.
On 28 March, Melbourne teenage siblings Alexander and Bridget Jones, and Frenchwoman Dr Marie-Faith Fiawoo, were killed after a wall collapsed on them in Swanston St.
The wall, at the Carlton and United Breweries site, fell down after winds of up to 100km/h hit Melbourne.
Victoria Police and WorkSafe have been investigating the incident, amid allegations the wall was cracked and had a plywood billboard attached to it, which had not been approved by Melbourne City Council.
A funeral for Alexander and Bridget was held at the Diamond Valley Baptist Church last Thursday.
Brimbank’s City Council’s acting general manager of city development Stuart Menzies said the tragic deaths had spurred the council into investigating the municipality’s heritage structures.
“In light of the deaths of three people in Swanston St, Carlton, on 28 March, council’s municipal building surveyor has initiated a review of all planning permit applications for heritage buildings over the past two years,” Mr Menzies said.
“In addition, council’s parking and local laws officers when on patrol across the municipality are photographing any buildings, walls or other structures where they observe an issue and are referring these to council’s building department for investigation.”
Mr Menzies said in March this year, the council was advised of cracks and structural problems in the wall of a privately-owned heritage building in Devonshire Rd, Sunshine.
“An emergency order was issued for certain works to be carried out within 48 hours, including a gantry to stabilise the wall and protect pedestrians,” Mr Menzies said.
“Under the order, part of the building was required to be evacuated with occupants now limited to other parts of the office complex.
“All the actions by the municipal building surveyor and the building owner have been preventative.
“No part of the building has fallen off and no-one has been affected or injured.”
