Bishop Victoria Matthews’ Christchurch home has been demolished after this month’s earthquakes left it in a precarious state.
The St Albans villa was demolished on Friday because it was in danger of collapsing on a neighbouring house.
Bishop Matthews said she had not slept in her home since the February 22 quake. The Bishop St house suffered further damage last week and had to be propped.
“The engineer used the word `floppy’ and did not believe it could be kept safe any longer,” Bishop Matthews said.
“It is the loveliest house I have ever owned. It is a wonderful, wonderful house.
“It sustained a great deal more damage on Friday [last week]. It was a matter of trying to see how quickly we could do what was the only safe response. It is very sad, but we have to be safe and think of people.”
Gerard Daldry, director of demolition firm Protranz Earth Moving, said the building had tilted to one side and was unsafe.
“We just need to drop it on the ground because if it does fall it will fall on that house next door,” he said. “We can’t even get in the house to retrieve things. Another shake would bring it down. It is too dangerous. The quakes … sealed its fate.
By Charlie Gates for The Press