More action on Lacrosse practitioners

The builder and fire safety engineer responsible for the Lacrosse building breached the Building Act and Regulations, according to the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).

The VBA has referred Con Nicolas, the fire safety engineer who prepared a fire engineering report about building work at the site and the registered builder, Jim Moschoyiannis, to the Buildings Practitioners Board (BPB) for disciplinary action.

Mr Moschoyiannis is a director of building company L.U. Simon Builders, which constructed the building.

The VBA had previously referred the relevant building surveyor to the BPB and the architect responsible for the building to the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV).

It alleges that the builder, the building surveyor and the fire safety engineer breached both the Building Act and Regulations and failed to carry out work in a competent manner and to a professional standard.

The VBA’s recent decision regarding the fire safety engineer and registered builder signals the conclusion of the investigation into the conduct of building practitioners involved in the Lacrosse building.

Following the November 2014 fire at the Lacrosse apartment tower, the MFB found that the external aluminium cladding on the building contributed to the spread of the fire and did not comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA). This triggered a VBA investigation into the building practitioners involved.