Man found dead at house in Bendigo St, Collingwood

A MAN has been found dead at a house in the inner city street where squatters have occupied houses.

Emergency services have been called to reports of a death at a house in Bendigo St, Collingwood. Picture: Cassie Zervos.

A MAN has been found dead at a house in the inner city street where squatters have occupied houses.

Victoria Police said the body of the man aged in his 50s was found at the Bendigo St, Collingwood address just after 10.30am.

The body is yet to be identified.

Neighbours say that squatters have been in the house in recent weeks.

It was unclear this morning who was staying at the house last night.

Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the death were yet to be determined.

Superintendent David Clayton said a neighbour made the grim discovery

“Ambulance and Victoria police attended at which time the man was pronounced deceased,” Supt Clayton said.

“As this matter is the subject of a coronial inquiry we will not be making any further comments at this stage.”

Supt Clayton said the death was not being treated as suspicious and that there was no evidence of children living in the home.

Police arrive at the scene this morning. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

He described the death as “tragic”.

“The death of any person is tragic it’s non-suspicious so it causes a bit of unrest in the community,” he said.

Police are in the process of notifying who they believe is the next of kin.

A coroners van arrived to no. 4 Bendigo St just before 1.30pm to collect the body.

Keith Fitzgerald who lives next door to no. 4 said the death didn’t come as a surprise.

“We have lost our street, we’ve had alcohol and drug fuelled tirades at three and four o’clock in the morning, sometimes four times a bloody week,” he said.

“All the people here are on the verge of mental exhaustion or a breakdown... that’s how bad it is.”

Mr Fitzgerald said he often sees syringes dumped in the street gutter and was “on the verge of a breakdown”.

He has been living in his Bendigo Street home for 71 years.

A resident who lawfully lives in a house in Bendigo street said he saw security guards take two people out of no. 4 last night.

Peter, who declined to give his last name, said he’s been living in the street since August and it was time the government took action.

“The government needs to get them out, put them in public housing so they can pay rent and begin to have a normal life again,” he said.

Police speak to residents in Bendigo St. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

“It’s not the people’s fault it’s the governments fault, not for the death but for causing all this.”

Fitzroy Legal Service solicitor Meghan Fitzgerald, who is representing some Bendigo St squatters, said she was deeply sadden by the death.

“While the state’s busy pursuing costs against homeless people someone has died on that street,” she said.

More than six police cars and an ambulance arrived at the scene this morning.

Officers taped off a section of Bendigo St and house number 4.

Some police officers have entered the house, while others continue to door knock neighbours.

Some squatters were yelling at officers, while others looked distressed at the situation.

Neighbours claim that there had been a number of non-fatal overdoses in the street in recent months.

Squatters who live in neighbouring houses in the street are huddled together outside no. 16 and appear to be quite calm.

A police officer speaks with a neighbour. Picture: Hamish Blair

On Wednesday, more than 50 police swooped on Bendigo St to help evict squatters from number 13 who had moved back in after being removed last week.

Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle said the death was a reminder that vulnerable people had been living in the street.

“No matter what has happened a death is always a tragedy,” he said.

“Obviously we don’t know what has taken place here but it’s a powerful reminder again that everyone involved needs to take a deep breath.

“We need common sense to prevail here in this situation. It’s time for some reasoned and rational thinking to occur around how the situation might be resolved.”

Major Nottle said the Salvation Army’s services were available to anyone living in or near Bendigo St.

A State Government spokeswoman said the death was “a tragedy for all concerned.

“We offer our sympathy to family and friends of this man,” the spokeswoman said.

“What is happening in the street is unsustainable and dangerous — and must stop.

“Police are now investigating the matter.”

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