21 Jan 2012

Hotel demolition halted until safety of workers assured

3:20 pm on 21 January 2012

Fletcher Construction says demolition of Christchurch's Hotel Grand Chancellor, where a worker was critically injured, will resume only when the company is absolutely sure all employees will be safe.

The construction company employee fell on Friday while working on the 24th floor, the top storey of the partly dismantled building.

Work has stopped at the site while the accident is investigated.

The man was on Friday in a critical condition in Christchurch Hospital. His family have since asked for privacy regarding his condition.

Fletcher's chief executive of construction, Graham Darlow, says the company is working with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the Labour Department to find out exactly what happened.

Mr Darlow says work will not begin again until safety of workers is assured but he hopes that will can happen by the end of next week.

The hotel in the central city had stood at 28 storeys but was damaged in the earthquake in February last year and some floors have been removed during work that began this week.