Fangzhou Shi: Coroner rules on Burwood tram student death

A Coroner has called for a safety review of tracks near a university in Melbourne’s east, after a Chinese student was hit and killed by a tram

Student Fangzhou Shi was hit and killed by a tram near Deakin University in September 2019. Picture: Janine Eastgate

A Chinese student killed by a tram in Melbourne’s east was distracted by his phone and could be barely seen by the driver due to overgrown bushes, a coroner has found.

Fangzhou Shi, 24, was fatally hit by a tram on Burwood Highway, near Milford Ave and Deakin University, on September 9, 2019 about 8pm.

He had poor eyesight and was without his prescription glasses, and was wearing dark clothing and distracted by his phone when the incident occurred.

The student, who was living in Burwood and studying English at the university, died at The Alfred hospital from his injuries six days later.

Prior to the incident, five other collisions between trams and pedestrians had occurred in the area between October 2014 and September 2019.

Coroner Leveasque Peterson said Mr Shi was standing on a grassy slope with 40m of overgrown bushes nearby as she handed down her findings into Mr Shi’s death in the Coroner’s Court of Victoria on Thursday.

Ms Peterson also said there were minimal safety measures in place, and investigators found the area was poorly lit with the nearest street light 7.4m away from the position of impact.

“The tram driver explained that the bushes to the left of the tracks made it difficult to see past them until very close,” Coroner Peterson said.

“There were no barriers in the area stopping pedestrians from crossing the tram tracks where Fangzhou was struck and the closest pedestrian crossings were approximately 200m in either direction.”

Ms Peterson concluded that Mr Shi’s death was a “tragic accident” but remarked that the overgrown bushes and poor lighting impeded the tram driver’s vision, and contributed to driver being “unable to see Fangzhou in sufficient time to take evasive action”.

She recommended the Department of Transport conduct a safety review and audit of the Burwood Highway tram tracks in the vicinity of Milford Ave, which are near the university and a small shopping strip.

Ms Peterson said the review should consider the installation of safety barriers or warnings along the tram tracks to discourage pedestrians from crossing the highway.

She also asked the department to consider replacing the nearby tall bushes with plants unlikely to grow to heights which could affect visibility, and a regular schedule of trimming and maintenance.

Deakin University’s chief operating officer Kean Selway said the university had noted the coroner’s findings and recommendations, while a Department of Transport spokeswoman said it was “carefully considering the Coroner’s recommendations and preparing a response.”