Story: Earthquakes

Wreckage of the Nurses’ Home, 1931 (2nd of 2)

Wreckage of the Nurses’ Home, 1931

In the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake eight off-duty nurses and three office staff at the Napier Nurses’ Home died, and six others were seriously injured by the collapse. Although recently completed, the building was flawed by a combination of poorly mixed concrete, insufficient reinforcing, and a bottom storey weakened by large open areas.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/2-057116;F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Eileen McSaveney, 'Earthquakes - Building for earthquake resistance', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4425/wreckage-of-the-nurses-home-1931 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Eileen McSaveney, published 12 Jun 2006, reviewed & revised 1 Aug 2017