Robert Caulfield

Robert Caulfield, Managing Director of Archicentre said the explosion highlighted the potential amount of injury to numbers of people living within the single structure.

"Whilst the explosion has happened on the second level of the apartment block the entire three storey structure has been put at risk."

Mr Caulfield said when a building has such an explosion of the magnitude as experienced at East Hawthorn yesterday, it may be necessary to pull the building down as it is difficult to ensure the integrity of the structure and services such as plumbing and wiring.

Archicentre is carrying out an increasing number of body corporate inspections to determine maintenance and safety requirements for body corporate organisations wanting to limit the risk of structural damage by regular maintenance.

"Many of the apartments in Melbourne built in the sixties and seventies were now approaching a time where there was a need for increased surveillance and thorough pre-purchase inspections for prospective buyers of individual apartments or blocks of flats."