Tears, anguish as two die in house collapse

An out-of-control digger smashed into the new health centre. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A woman screamed, "My Dad's in there, my Dad's in there", after a bulldozer knocked a building off its blocks, crushing two men to death and seriously injuring two others on a South Auckland marae yesterday.

Police have today named the men as Marsh Terahi Wiri Peihopa, 24, and Waepeke Ruihana Tupaea, 61.

Soon afterwards, a pregnant woman - believed to be the wife of one of the dead men - stood crying, barefoot in shorts, while another woman held her child in a covered baby capsule.

Hours earlier, their loved ones were alive and well, working to install a new health centre at the Manurewa Marae on Finlayson Ave.

But about 12.30pm, a six-tonne digger rolled down the sloping property into the weatherboard house.

It collapsed, crushing the pair and injuring the other two workers, who were taken to Middlemore Hospital.

One had serious injuries. The other was discharged last night.

Two other workers escaped injury.

The Department of Labour is investigating the incident, which has been deemed a workplace accident.

Service manager Craig White said yesterday that three department staff were working closely with police and Fire Service staff to ensure the safe retrieval of bodies and to gather information for the investigation.

It is the department's second major inquiry in Auckland this week. On Wednesday, a boiler explosion at Orewa College killed caretaker Rick Nel.

Fire crews from Papakura, Otara and Papatoetoe were first on the scene of yesterday's accident.

One body was extracted and taken away for prayers about 4.30pm. The second was pulled from under the building about 6.30pm.

Police dogs were sent through the house to check that no other people were inside.

Manurewa police area commander Inspector Alan Shearer said emergency staff had to be slow and careful.

"The reason it's taken so long is because the house is in a very insecure state."

He refused to comment on safety precautions at the site.

The house was to be a new health and wellness centre for elders to use during tangi and other ceremonies at the marae.

It was donated by the Manukau City Council.

Fire Service spokesman Tony McDonald said initial reports suggested that the building's piles had collapsed.

Devastated relatives of the two men killed were comforted by friends and family at the marae.

Resident Tiffany Pedersen, 24, was setting up a marquee for her brother's 21st party a few houses from the marae when she heard a loud "doosh". She rushed to see where it came from and saw the house collapsed on its side.

Soon after, she saw a crying woman asking police who was trapped in the building.

Tonia Clark heard a "loud bang" from her house across the street.

"We thought it was the dump truck, and the next thing you know all the police were here."

Another local person told the Weekend Herald the marae had been trying so hard to "get off the ground".

Marae resident Bob Clark said its members were "down in the dumps".

"We all had the same aspirations ... It was going to be a healing house, a health centre."

The Department of Labour says its investigation could take six months.

- additional reporting: Kelly Dennett, Rachel Tiffen