Lake Macquarie restaurant collapse: business owners count the cost

By Dan Proudman and Matthew Kelly
Updated February 9 2016 - 12:13pm, first published 12:07pm
Two people were lucky to escape the collapsed building unharmed.  Photo: Simone De Peak
Two people were lucky to escape the collapsed building unharmed. Photo: Simone De Peak
People comfort a woman who escaped an apartment in the marina building as it collapsed.  Photo: Simone De Peak
People comfort a woman who escaped an apartment in the marina building as it collapsed. Photo: Simone De Peak
Authorities put a boom in place around the collapsed building.  Photo: Simone De Peak
Authorities put a boom in place around the collapsed building. Photo: Simone De Peak
Sue Kelleher, owner of Milano's talks to NSW Fire & Rescue.  Photo: Simone De Peak
Sue Kelleher, owner of Milano's talks to NSW Fire & Rescue. Photo: Simone De Peak
Tim Deverell of Crown Lands said there was nothing to indicate that they building was in danger of an imminent collapse  Photo: Simone De Peak
Tim Deverell of Crown Lands said there was nothing to indicate that they building was in danger of an imminent collapse Photo: Simone De Peak
If the collapse had happened a day earlier, there would have been up to 100 people inside the building.  Photo: Simone De Peak
If the collapse had happened a day earlier, there would have been up to 100 people inside the building. Photo: Simone De Peak
Fears remained that large portions of the building, that will likely have to be demolished, will collapse into the lake. Photo: Simone De Peak
Fears remained that large portions of the building, that will likely have to be demolished, will collapse into the lake. Photo: Simone De Peak
Jim Sommers runs his business Marine Sale Solutions on the ground floor of the building. He said he left just 20 minutes before the building collapsed.  Photo: Simone De Peak
Jim Sommers runs his business Marine Sale Solutions on the ground floor of the building. He said he left just 20 minutes before the building collapsed. Photo: Simone De Peak