Owners knew of church quake risk before deaths: Inquiry

Reports on the Durham Street Methodist Church said it would only take a moderate earthquake for it to collapse. Photo / Geoff Sloan

Owners of a Methodist Church in Christchurch were told the church was earthquake prone and "would collapse in a moderate earthquake" two years before the building collapsed in the February earthquake - killing three men.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry was today hearing evidence into the collapse of the Durham St Methodist Church, which crushed three men removing the church's pipe organ on February 22. Ironically, the men were removing the organ to prevent it from further damage in aftershocks.

The Methodist Church was constructed in 1864 and was classified as category 1 by the Historic Places Trust. A structural report of the church, completed in September 2009, revealed the building was earthquake prone and would "collapse in a moderate earthquake".

But no structural strengthening was carried out on the church, although various strengthening options were proposed.

Methodist Church spokesman Greg Wright said the church was aware that, given the age of the property, strengthening would be required.

"Carrying out such repairs would have been extremely expensive in terms of meeting the requirements from the Historic Places Trust. It would have been difficult to obtain structural strengthening and maintain the appearance of the church. We were looking to see how that could be done."

It appears a strengthening submission was still being considered at the time of the September earthquake- when it suffered significant damage and was red stickered.

Following the quake, the church began looking at whether or not the building could be repaired.

An inspection of the church by city council and the Historic Places Trust deemed the church's pipe organ could, and should, be removed. It had suffered minor damage in the September quake and needed to be repaired.

Engineering firm Structex were engaged to decide whether it was safe to remove the remove the organ and provided details of a safe access way via the Aldersgate building adjoining the church. Temporary propping and the fixing of a steel bracket was proposed.

In the Boxing Day aftershock the already significant damage to the church was made much worse and by the beginning of February it was becoming increasingly likely the Church would have to be demolished. But workmen still went ahead with the plan to remove the organ.

Asked whether or not it was really necessary to risk entering a dangerous building to remove the organ, Mr Wright said they were acting on engineering advice.

"There seemed to be no reason to proceed on the information that was provided. Our advice was that the level of risk was not so great that the work shouldn't be done. But yes I presume as with all damaged buildings there was to be some level of risk. Had the church thought removing the organ would result in injury or death the work would not have been done."

"The advice was that the work to remove the organ was necessary so that remedial works could be completed on the building. And the organ would have suffered more damage [if it had stayed in the Church]."

On February 22 a group of eight workmen, who were part of the South Island Organ Company, were at the church building assisting in the removal of the organ.

When the earthquake struck the church suffered a catastrophic collapse. Paul Dunlop, Neil Stocker and Scott Lucy were part of a team of eight men dismantling the church pipe organ at the Durham St Methodist Mission Church when the quake hit. All three perished under the rubble.