Details of Doncaster East balcony tragedy revealed
A work Christmas party was in full swing in Doncaster East when a group of workmates gathered for a special photo together. Seconds later, loud cracks were heard before 28 of them plunged to the ground. Now experts say it could’ve been avoided.
Police & Courts
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Two colleagues were killed at their work Christmas party because the balcony they were standing on was overloaded and a crucial deck support beam “should have been replaced”, an inquest has heard.
Croydon sales manager Cheryl Taylor, 59, and Reservoir woman Sarah Kajoba, 37, plunged almost 3m to their deaths just before a group photo with colleagues.
The Tupperware staff were gathered at the rented Doncaster East home of their boss. About 10.30pm on December 16, 2017 guests began to move towards the house part of the balcony for the photo.
“Around this time both Sarah and Cheryl were believed to have been sitting on lounge chairs on the deck approximately two metres from the wall of the house in a central position of the deck,” counsel assisting the coroner, Senior Constable Prem Thevar told the Victoria Coroners Court.
Some guests then heard two large cracks and a 6m by 2.7m section of the balcony collapsed.
“It was also reported from some guests it was like a short fall, a moment of brief suspension before the entire area of the deck collapsed,” Sen-Constable Thevar said. “The deck collapsed in a ramping-type manner and guests described it as going totally from under their feet like it collapsed in on itself.”
Twenty of the 37 people at the party fell, while a woman tending her baby at the opposite end of the deck escaped the carnage.
Ms Taylor died at the scene and Ms Kajoba was rushed to Royal Melbourne hospital where it was found she had a severe brain injury. She died hours later.
The inquest is hearing whether the original balcony was fit for occupancy, whether its enlarged state complied with permits, and whether a rating system for balconies is feasible.
Structural engineer Peter Jones said the deck was overloaded and wasn’t built with the strongest wood and “that only got worse” over time.
“The bearer (beam) … should have been bigger,” he said. On the balcony were a 123kg fridge, a pizza oven, a barbecue, three eskies full of ice and drinks, and outdoor furniture.
Manningham Council building surveyor Russell Mills said the balcony, built in the mid-1980s, didn’t comply with original building permits and modifications had since been made. He noted the floor joists ran in an opposite direction to the plan that had been approved and a stairwell and veranda had been installed.
However, under cross-examination he said those didn’t contribute to the collapse.
Coroner Paresa Spanos said the gathering of people for the photo was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”, but asked what the main factor of collapse was. Mr Mills replied it was hard to specify one factor, but he believed a crucial centre beam that failed “should have been replaced some years” before.
It was “well past its use-by date” and was found to be “light in weight, dry and brittle”.
“A number of defects and age-related deficiencies were located, including weathering and decaying of structural members,” Mr Mills said.
He noted there had been an “inadequate attempt to strengthen” it.
The owner of the Doncaster East property has now replaced the balcony and is planning to demolish the house.
The inquest continues.
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