Man dies, another seriously injured after wall collapses in Brisbane's West End
In short:
Emergency services responded to reports two workers had become trapped at an industrial site on Boundary Street in West End at about 8:30am.
A 45-year-old man was declared dead at the scene, while a 19-year-old was taken to hospital in a stable condition after being freed by emergency services.
What's next?
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is investigating and Queensland Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
A 45-year-old man has died and another has sustained serious injuries after a retaining wall collapsed at a social housing construction site in Brisbane.
Emergency services responded to reports two workers had become trapped at an industrial site on Boundary Street in West End at about 8:30am.
Authorities have confirmed the man was declared dead at the scene.
Queensland Police Inspector Chris Pemberton said a 19-year-old man was trapped for over an hour before he was freed.
A person has died and another has sustained serious injuries. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)
He was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Inspector Pemberton said there were eight workers on site at the time who, with the assistance of police, removed a large amount of concrete from the 19-year-old's chest, which was restricting his breathing.
"Those workers and the four attending police [officers] removed that concrete prior to the arrival of anyone else, which would have saved his life,"he said.
"He was then left in situ due to the complexity of the entrapment for the fire service to extract him."
Loading...Inspector Pemberton said it was believed the two people who became trapped were known to each other.
"It's a tragic thing to have happened so close to Christmas," he said.
Residents asked to leave amid safety concerns
Inspector Pemberton said he believed the men were working in a shallow trench about 600 millimetres deep, and the retaining wall was on the boundary about a metre from where they were working.
Queensland Fire Department Acting Inspector Marc O'Brien said crews relied on equipment used in disaster zones to monitor the safety of the site during the "tricky" rescue.
Loading...He said large pieces of plywood were also used to cover open trenches to make it safe for emergency service workers.
"We offer condolences to family, friends and workmates," he said.
Boundary Street is closed between Melbourne Street and Edmonstone Street with motorists being advised to avoid the area.
Rhett, who lives next to the scene, told ABC Radio Brisbane he was advised to leave his house due to concerns it may also collapse.
"The police came knocking on all our doors and told us all to leave, get out of here,"he said.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is investigating and Queensland Police will prepare a report for the coroner.