No charges over balcony collapse
No-one will be charged after the collapse of a balcony at a surprise Six60 gig in Dunedin.
The collapse injured 18 students, most of whom were under the balcony at a student housing complex in Castle St. Many of the students were attending the University of Otago.
Police have determined that no criminal offence occurred in relation to the March 4, 2016, collapse and would not be laying charges, Inspector Jason Guthrie, area commander for Otago Coastal, said yesterday.
The number of people on the balcony fluctuated from about nine to 18 at the point of the collapse. The balcony was not intended to hold more than eight people.
Despite original reports that people were jumping up and down on the balcony, video footage shows this was not the case.
The construction of the balcony and the materials used had not contributed to the collapse. A report released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in August 2016 concluded the balcony gave way because of ‘‘grandstand level’’ loadings.
A confidential University of Otago report, released under the Official Information Act, said multiple failures and poor preparation contributed to the collapse.
A university spokeswoman said yesterday that it welcomed the results of the police investigation
The Castle St complex’s property manager, Matt Cutler of Cutlers, declined to comment.
Guthrie said police would continue working with the university, the Dunedin City Council and other agencies to ensure there was not a repeat of the incident.