Building that collapsed in Christchurch quake 'was substandard'

A six-storey building that collapsed, killing 115 people, in last year's Christchurch earthquake, was made of weak columns and concrete and did not meet minimum standards, the government said yesterday.

The building's designer contested the findings and said the report was "technically inadequate". The report could lead to legal claims by victims' families and police are considering whether to open a criminal investigation. The Canterbury Television (CTV) building collapsed when the magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck on 22 February last year. The Department of Building and Housing concluded the building did not meet minimum requirements when it was built in 1986.

Brian Kennedy, whose wife, Faye, died in the collapse, said of the report: "It gives me a feeling that I understand exactly what happened and how quick it happened."