Killer Quake. Ghost Laycock's Demolition, Zone 3 Cordon

Laycock's demolition focus. National State of Emergency, 14.03.11. ROAD CLOSED. Treking zone 3 cordon of the CBD, post M6.3, Feb 22 Killer Quake, I came upon demolition of Laycock's Collision Repairs, an old, brick & concrete bldg, Durham St Nth / Salisbury St. It was the second demolition I'd seen in half an hour. The first I saw was old, brick Saggio di vino, Bealey Ave, damaged in the Sept 4 Darfield Quake, steel mesh fence cordoned, scaffolded for months, then trashed in the Feb 22 Killer Quake.

Laycock's was on the edge of the no access, red zone of the CBD cordon. Two NZDF soldiers emerged from their steel mesh fence cordoned / blue tarp hut, controlling people / vehicle access to the red zone, while the demolition digger lunged, grabbed, bashed. Several bystanders watched the demolition.

A Canterbury University professor, engineer, 5+ weeks post Feb 22 Killer Quake, awoke in his ivory tower, blathering in The Press, 28.03.11, about his research need for Christchurch quake damaged bldgs. He offered no condolences, nor remorse, to families of 185 people killed in the Feb 22 Killer Quake, but insulted families with his research suggestion. Never mind physical & mental injuries to thousands of citizens. He'd had enough time to research pre quake bldgs & quaked bldgs post Sept 4 Darfield Quake, 5+ months during 1000s of aftershocks.

"The urgent short-term necessity is to investigate and test damaged buildings before they are demolished. Longer-term education and research is needed to develop the research capability, in both staff and equipment, to transfer the results into design of future New Zealand buildings and infrastructure.

The Christchurch earthquake represents by far the largest 'experimental test' ever done on modern buildings designed and built to top international standards.

The damaged 'test specimens' are urgently awaiting scientific investigation and detailed analysis before they disappear..."

Will CTV & PGC multi-storeys be amongst the professors' "test specimens"? Both bldgs collapsed in the Feb 22 Killer Quake, killing people. Many bldgs had already vanished in the National State of Emergency, CBD forbidden zones, including the no access, red zone, where design & engineering mistakes would be buried by demolishers.

I watched Laycock's demolition for about 10 minutes, not staying too long, as it was midday sun, 30C. I feared asbestos dust, brick dust, concrete dust gusting from the demolition. The NZDF soldiers wore dust mask protection. I wanted to see more of zone 3.









































*Trekked Durham St Nth. 32 snaps.

Together with neighbouring demo sites along Salisbury St, Lacock's demo site would become a shingle, carpark for Christchurch Casino patrons & business folk.

Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.