First published in The Age on July 14, 1997
Blast ends in tragedy
Two investigations were launched last night after the demolition of an old Canberra hospital building went horribly wrong, leaving a young girl dead and nine other spectators injured by flying debris.
The old Royal Canberra Hospital is imploded.Credit:Andrew Meares
Tens of thousands of people had lined Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin to watch what had been billed as a spectacular “implosion” when part of the building exploded instead of collapsing inwards, sending chunks of metal and concrete flying up to a kilometre from the hospital site.
Police had created a 200-metre exclusion zone around the site after a series of risk assessments had recommended 50 metres was a safe distance.
The 12-year-old victim was standing with family and friends about 400 metres across the lake from the hospital when she was struck, dying instantly from head wounds in front of horrified onlookers.
Others nearby were hit in the chest and face. Australian Federal Police confirmed last night that nine people were receiving treatment for injuries and shock. Vehicles parked across the lake were also damaged.
Other pieces plunged into the lake among small spectator craft. One canoe capsized, but the occupants were not hurt.
Last night the ACT Chief Minister, Mrs Kate Carnell, appointed a former senior federal bureaucrat, Mr Noel Tanzer, to investigate the processes leading up to yesterday’s disaster.
The ACT Coroner will hold a separate inquiry.
The incident has stunned Canberra residents, who had turned out to watch the demolition of the city’s 50-year-old original hospital — a building to which many people had strong emotional ties.
Mrs Carnell said the Government had extended the safety zone and the explosives’ safety had been checked again last week.
“Nobody even indicated this was even a small chance,” Mrs Carnell said. “I’m horrified.”
She said implosion had been chosen because it was cheaper and less intrusive to the Canberra hospice, which is about 80 metres from the blast site. Last week Mrs Carnell publicly guaranteed the demolition’s safety after unionists complained the hospice was not going to be evacuated.
The hospice was not evacuated and media were allowed to film the demolition from the roof of a building the same distance away.
The Government faces strong criticism over its decision to opt for the implosion over a traditional wrecking-ball demolition.
On Friday Mrs Carnell issued a statement advertising the best vantage points, including Lennox Gardens, the area where the girl was killed.
The hospital was being demolished to make way for the construction of the Museum of Australia, scheduled to open in January 2001.
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