Thu 28/03/2013: A man and a woman are dead after a brick wall collapsed at the Grocon site
THE families of two people who died when a brick wall collapsed in Melbourne's CBD are devastated, police say.
Detective Senior Constable Brooke Manley said police had notified the families of a 19-year-old man from Montmorency and a woman aged in her 30s, who both died in the accident on Swanston St about 3pm yesterday.
The collapse was caused by a freak gust of wind.
"It's horrendous, a tragic accident," Sen-Constable Manley said.
"The families involved are devastated."
A 19-year-old woman from Montmorency remains in a critical condition after surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital .
Pesestrians rush to help people caught under the horror wall collapse. Picture: Jonathan Lian/Twitter
A man who sat with the woman as she waited for paramedics said she hasn't left his thoughts since the accident.
North Melbourne resident Very Impressive, who said he changed his name by deed poll in 1992, said he rushed to help clear bricks after he heard the "almighty crash" of the wall.
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"She was the first thought in my head when I woke up this morning at 6.15," he said after returning to the site today.
"I took my jacket and placed it over the young lady to try and keep her warm.
Flowers were laid at the scene of the tragedy this morning. Picture: Stuart Walmsley
"Then I knelt down in the bicycle path; I was taking her pulse on her neck and her wrist as there was a nurse above me wearing blue latex gloves. She kept asking whether or not the young lady was breathing.
"I was checking constantly to see if she was still breathing.
"She acknowledged the fact that I was still talking to her.
"We got more of the wall off them and we discovered there was a young man fallen against the young woman.
"Eventually the paramedics arrived, which seemed like forever, but I'm sure it wasn't."
An aerial shot of the Melbourne CBD wall collapse. Picture: Fred Zhang
The scene in Swanston St, Carlton, was described as being like a battleground as frantic passers-by scrambled to free victims.
Police are appealing for witnesses after it was revealed trams were passing at the moment the wall collapsed.
"Police believe there may have been trams passing at the time and passengers may have seen something that may be of help to the investigation,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Belinda Batty said today.
"A number of people stopped to assist at the scene, however investigators are particularly keen to speak to anyone who left the area before speaking to police.
"Investigators also believe there may have been a pedestrian that could have been injured in the incident but left the scene before police arrived."
Emergency crews after the collapse. Picture: Mati Safi/Twitter
Earlier this morning people came to pay their respects to the victims.
One mourner brought a bunch of flowers, a small brown teddy bear with a pink bow and a small chocolate.
Another stopped in front of the bricks to say a prayer.
Rosanna Romeo, 57, came to pay her respects.
"It's very sad news ... as a mother I feel for the families," she said.
Building inspectors survey the damage at the site of the collapse. Picture: Mark Dadswell
"It's devastating, it could happen to anyone."
Premier Denis Napthine last night offered sympathy to the victims' families.
Police said they had tragically been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The historic wall was part of the former CUB brewery, opened in 1858, which building giant Grocon is developing into apartments.
The wall was located between Queensberry and Victoria streets.
Investigators at the scene of the wall collapse. Picture: Alex Coppel
Debris was strewn across the footpath, opposite a tram stop frequently used by students from a nearby RMIT University building.
Jonathan Lian, a university student, said: "There was a huge thunderclap. "It was really, really loud, and people were rushing about in all different directions."
He said there were about three or four people near the wall when it fell.
"One guy barely got away," he said.
The brick wall had been reinforced by a wooden hoarding.
But the wall and the timber collapsed under strong winds that, according to the weather bureau's Melbourne station, peaked at 57km/h at 3pm.
Picture: Mark Dadswell
CFMEU state secretary John Setka said he was among union members who helped lift a wooden hoarding off the victims.
A man and a woman were near each other, and another woman was farther away, he said.
He said the CFMEU first-aid staff helped treat the survivor until ambulance officers and firefighters arrived.
The other man and woman appeared to have died instantly, he said.
"Maybe it was just a freak gust of wind and three poor kids happened to be there," Mr Setka said.
Rescue workers and passersby frantically try to remove the rubble. Picture: Nick Fellingham
Jim Olssen of Carlton, 83, was on a tram going down Swanston St as the wall fell.
"The gusts of wind were very strong," he said.
Swanston St resident and RMIT student Lip Hyean, 23, said: "Many students walk past this wall every day. It's a popular route."
The owner of El Pronto Cafe, Natasha Weiss, 21, was making coffee when the wall collapsed.
"I saw the wall crumble like breadcrumbs from the top down, and fall on a group of people. You could see the panic on everyone's faces by the way they were throwing bricks away," she said.
Police acting inspector Ian Lindsay said no work was going on at the building site when the wall fell.
"It's a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said.
"We're unable to identify the pedestrians at the moment, and we believe strong wind gusts made the wall collapse."
Dr Napthine said: "Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the deceased. Our best wishes go to the woman fighting for her life. This is a terrible tragedy."
The brewery has been vacant for more than two decades.
Grocon is creating a $1 billion development of 1500 apartments in three high-rise towers and a major shopping precinct.
But two historic walls at the brewery, which closed in 1987, were protected under heritage rules and so were being incorporated into the development.
Grocon deputy chief Carolyn Viney said it would run its own investigation.
"We extend our sympathies to the families of those killed and to the person injured, and we also thank those who worked at the scene to assist in trying to rescue them," she said.
"This is a terrible tragedy for all concerned."
RMIT said in a tweet: "Our hearts go out to the victims of the wall collapse in Swanston St at the Grocon site."
The university said counselling would be offered to students if they required help.
WorkSafe was investigating the accident.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au
stephen.drill@news.com.au
With James Dowling and Brendan Casey
