Unsafe balconies common across Melbourne, engineers warn

Engineers have warned that apartment balconies across Melbourne are unsafe and prone to collapsing.

The warning came after a balcony collapsed in an inner-city suburb on Saturday night, leaving one woman with critical injuries.

Paramedic crews attended the scene in Melbourne's inner south-east after the 27-year-old woman fell two stories during a house-warming party.

An investigation by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) concluded that mortar securing the balcony's brick balustrade weakened while the woman was leaning on it, causing it to give way.

Karl Apted, vice-president of the Association of Consulting Structural Engineers Victoria, said it appeared that the brickwork was not reinforced and only held together by the mortar.

"I see it enough to say it does not surprise me when these balconies collapse," Apted told Fairfax Media on Tuesday.

"In terms of engineering, I'd suggest they may not have had any engineering. I would find it unlikely that an engineer would have approved an unreinforced balcony handrail."

Ian Robson, a building surveyor for the local council who investigated the scene of the collapse, said that poor building requirements for balconies between the 1960s and 1990s were largely to blame for collapse.

"Buildings of this area can be hit or miss, there was a boom in the 1960s and some of them weren't built that well. The whole building will have to be reviewed now," Robson said.

"It was never strong enough when it was built, that's the thing, but it's probably deteriorated." Endit