Finding into death of Oli Oli Tuilua

IN THE CORONERS COURT OF VICTORIA AT MELBOURNE

Court Reference: COR 2011 3173

FINDING INTO DEATH WITHOUT INQUEST

Form 38 Rule 60(2) Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008

1, PETER WHITE, Coroner having investigated the death of OL] OLI TUILUA without holding an inquest:

find that the identity of the deceased was OL] OLI TUILUA

born on 10 July 1987

and the death occurred on 25 August 2011

at Roxburgh Park Railway Station, Roxburgh Park, Victoria

from:

1 (a) MULTIPLE INJURIES SUSTAINED WHEN STRUCK BY A TRAIN

Pursuant to Section 67(2) of the Coroners Act 2008, I make these findings with respect to the following circumstances:

Oli Tuilua was a 24 year old New Zealand lady who moved to Australia with her family when she was nine, She had a large close family who supported her and her baby daughter.

On 25 August 2011, Oli Tuilua and a group of her friends and family caught a bus to the Roxburgh Park train station in order to travel to the Collingwood Town Hall for a concert.

They arrived at the train station at about 7pm. While waiting for the train on platform one, Oli and her friend needed to use toilet facilities. There are no toilet facilities at the Roxburgh Park train station so Oli and her friend walked to the north end of the platform and jumped on to the railway line.

They then walked along the train line beside the platform to find a suitable place to jump back on to the platform. Friends waiting on the platform saw a Vline train approaching the train station and started to yell at Oli and her friend to get back on to the platform. Oli’s friend managed to climb back-on to the platform however Oli was having difficulty due to its height. Oli has seen the train getting closer and turned to run off the tracks to move out of the way of the train however the train has collided with her.

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4. The VLine service TD 8332 was an express train travelling from Seymour to Southern Cross station. The front of the leading carriage came to stand approximately 575 metres beyond the estimated area of collision. The collision occurred approximately 70 metres from the southern end of platform one. The tracks that pass through platform one and two are used by both metropolitan and V/Line services. The maximum line speed for Metropolitan rail services is 115kph and 130kph for V/Line services. Prior to applying the emergency brake, the Vline train was travelling atl29kph. V/Line services run express through Roxburgh park,

5. Currently the Metro public announcement systems does not warn members of the public of approaching express trains that are not stopping at the station.

6. Signage at the northern and southern end of the platform expressly state that exiting the platform is strictly prohibited.

Recommendations: Pursuant to section 72(2) of the Coroners Act 2008, I make the following recommendations connected with the death:

7. Mr Alan Scott, Investigator for Metro Trains Melbourne provided the Court with an Incident Investigation report, Mr Scott made reference to recommendations that had been considered in relation to a previous incident involving a passenger on a platform in Springvale. These recommendations were that consideration be given to the provision of public address announcements on suburban platforms warning of the approach of all non stop train movements and that a review occur to assess the value of express V/Line Services passing through metropolitan train stations at speeds of 130kph.

8. In order to assist in preventing similar situations such as those outlined above, I recommend that the Department of Transport, Metro Trains and Vline consider the feasibility of implementing public announcement systems at suburban train stations warning passengers of trains, both metropolitan and Vline that are passing express through the station. In so recommending, I affirm that passengers are never permitted on to the train tracks, at a train station.

I direct that a copy of this finding be provided to the following:

Mr Mikaele Tuilua, senior next of kin

Viine

Metro Trains Melbourne

Senior Constable Efti Anastasiadis, investigating member

Signature:

C ia i

/ Vth i v et ,AL Ny

PETER WHITE CORONER Date: 14 January 2014

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