Inquest into deadly balcony collapse at Tupperware party to begin next year
A Coroner’s inquest will examine whether an old and decaying timber balcony at a two-storey Doncaster home was up to code on the day it collapsed and tragically killed two women at a Christmas party in 2017.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An old and decaying timber balcony was loaded with 35 partygoers and a commercial sized fridge, barbecue and pizza oven weighing almost 300kgs when it cracked and collapsed while guests posed for a group photo.
Two women, Cheryl Taylor, 59, and Sarah Kajoba, 37, were crushed to death as the large deck gave way and they fell almost three metres to the concrete ground below.
An inquest into the December 17 2017 tragedy which occurred at a Tupperware Christmas party will examine whether the balcony at the two-storey Doncaster home met building standards and complied with industry codes.
A preliminary hearing at the Coroners Court ahead of a two-day inquest into the women’s deaths heard an extension was built onto the original balcony – estimated to be up to 50 years old – by previous owners of the property.
An inquiry into whether the additional building work compromised the integrity of the original balcony will also be conducted.
The group of Tupperware employees and their partners had gathered on the deck about 10pm for a celebratory photo after speeches and Christmas gifts were presented to the group, the court heard.
Ms Taylor and Ms Kajoba were sitting on lounge chairs in the centre of the balcony.
Party guests recalled hearing one or two loud cracks before a “brief moment of suspension” as they plunged downwards.
Of the guests at the party: 28 people fell with the deck, five were standing on an area not impacted, two were inside and one woman was tending to her baby on the other side of the 40 sqm space.
Ms Kajoba was crushed by debris and other guests and was pulled from the rubble with catastrophic brain and chest injuries.
The Reservoir mother later died in hospital.
Ms Taylor, from Croydon, suffered multiple injuries in the collapse and died at the scene.
Building surveyors, civil engineers and construction experts examined the scene and what was left of the structure in the days following the incident.
Coroner Paresa Spanos also attended the site the day after the deadly collapse and was “struck” by the fact the new section of the structure was still standing.
The court heard the wooden bearer supporting the deck was weathered, decaying and had knots in the wood.
MORE NEWS:
CLIMATE PROTESTERS ALLEGEDLY STUCK POLICE HORSE
POLICE SERGEANT ADMITS TO STEALING HOMES
HUSBAND TO STAND TRIAL OVER PHILLIP ISLAND MUM’S DEATH
Experts reported that the balcony collapse was caused by an accumulation of elements including: the construction of the deck, pre-existing condition of the wood and the concentration of the weight at the time of the incident.
The inquest will examine whether routine inspections should be implemented in aged structures and if so, who should be responsible.
Ms Kajoba and Ms Taylor’s cause of death is not disputed.
“It was a tragedy obviously, they were very unlucky to be where they were,” Ms Spanos said.
Ms Kajoba’s husband was in court for the hearing but did not wish to speak to media.