On Tuesday 22 February 2011, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city. The ‘earthquake’ was in fact an aftershock to an earlier 7.1 magnitude earthquake that had occurred on Saturday 4 September 2010. There were a number of key differences between the two events that meant they had dramatically different results for Christchurch and its inhabitants. The 22 February 2011 event resulted in one of New Zealand’s worst natural disasters on record, with 185 fatalities occurring and hundreds more being injured. In addition, a large number of buildings either collapsed or were damaged to the point where they needed to be totally demolished. Since the initial earthquake in September 2010, a large amount of building-related research has been initiated in New Zealand to investigate the impact of the series of seismic events – the major focus of these research projects has been on seismic, structural and geotechnical engineering matters. One project, however, conducted jointly by the University of Canterbury, the Fire Protection Association of New Zealand and BRANZ, has focused on the performance of fire protection systems in the earthquakes and the effectiveness of the systems in the event of post-earthquake fires occurring. Fortunately, very few fires actually broke out following the series of earthquake events in Christchurch, but fire after earthquakes still has significant implications for the built environment in New Zealand, and the collaborative research has provided some invaluable insight into the potential threat posed by post-earthquake fires in buildings. As well as summarising the damage caused to fire protection systems, this paper discusses the flow-on effect for designing structures to withstand post-earthquake fires. One of the underlying issues that will be explored is the existing regulatory framework in New Zealand whereby structural earthquake design and structural design for fire are treated as discrete design scenarios.
Page 4 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Thursday 6 December 2012.
Page 1 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Wednesday 5 December 2012.
Page 5 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Wednesday 5 December 2012.
Page 2 of Section C of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 30 June 2012.
A video about a fire which broke out in an earthquake-damaged building on High Street. The video includes an interview with Steve Kennedy, Canterbury Fire Service Assistant Area Manager, Brigid Fayle, who worked in the building prior to the 22 February 2011 earthquake, and Anne MacKenzie, a structural engineer who worked on strengthening the building.
Page 1 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Thursday 1 November 2012.
Page 2 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Friday 9 November 2012.
Page 6 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Wednesday 7 November 2012.
Page 4 of Section C of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 30 June 2012.
Page 7 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Tuesday 6 November 2012.
Page 4 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Thursday 8 November 2012.
A independent review of Fire Service's response to deadly February earthquake in Christchurch has heavily criticised the organisation for allowing tensions to fester for years.
Page 2 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Friday 7 December 2012.
A video of a tour of the new central Christchurch police station. The video includes interviews with Riwai Grace, Fire Communications Shift Manager at the New Zealand Fire Service, and Superintendent Gary Knowles, Canterbury Area Commander for the New Zealand Police. Knowles gives The Press a tour of the new training area, cafeteria, courtyard, firearm simulator room, prosecution area, interview rooms, and cell blocks.
A Fire engine parked in front of a damaged building in Christchurch Central.
Page 3 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Thursday 28 June 2012.
The Fire Service may have announced another investigation into its response to last year's deadly February earthquake in Christchurch, but there are already claims it won't go far enough although some feel it will indicate the need for a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
A photograph of equipment from the New Zealand Fire Service Urban Search and Rescue team on display in the Canterbury Quakes exhibition at the Canterbury Museum. The equipment was used during the emergency response to the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Website of ICNZ, industry organisation representing fire and general insurers. Includes information relating to the Canterbury earthquakes.
Looking over the cordon fence, steel support on the exterior wall next to emergency fire exit stairs.
A crowd watch a busker juggling fire on a unicycle. The performance was in the Re:Start mall
A Christchurch firefighter says the Fire Service's management team should be sacked because of poor conduct during the February earthquake emergency response.
The CTV inquest has been told the most senior fire fighter on duty on the day of the Christchurch earthquake was missing in action.
A video about the 4 September 2010 earthquake, produced for the anniversary of the earthquake. The video includes footage of the earthquake damage to the Christchurch city centre, Darfield, Rolleston, and Hororata. It also includes footage of diggers clearing stock in the Canterbury Brewery on St Asaph Street, engineers checking buildings in town, and a fire on Worcester Street.
A lawyer for the husband of a woman who died in the Christchurch earthquake says a coming inquest will show rifts within the Fire Service did hamper rescue efforts.
The director of the structural engineering company that designed the CTV building came under fire yesterday over documents missing from evidence his firm submitted to the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.
A video of interviews with four Christchurch residents about their experiences during the 22 February 2011 earthquake. The residents include David Sandeman, who was in the PGC Building when the earthquake struck, Tristan Roberts, a member of the New Zealand Fire Service who assisted after the earthquake, Claudia McFie, who was in Cashel Street when the earthquake struck, and Belinda Van Gruting, a doctor in Christchurch. This video was part of The Press's 'Christchurch, one year after February 22, 2011' series.
Various walls on the street of Christchurch have become public art spaces. This work, "The Phoenix", by professional graffiti artists, Jacob, aka Yikes, Nick, aka Icarus and Wongi includes a fire Phoenix and the words "Christchurch destined to rise". Above it is an advertisement for Phonequip.
Page 5 of Section A of the Christchurch Press, published on Saturday 3 November 2012.