By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
The City of Fremantle will launch a safety probe after a young man fell to his death at Sail and Anchor.
According to patrons, Henry Cusack, aged 28, was sitting on a sofa on the pub’s second storey balcony on Saturday 15 July. He leaned back onto a plastic café blind which gave way, and fell onto the pavement below. Paramedics tried to revive him, but he later died at Fiona Stanley Hospital from the injuries sustained .
ALH, owner of the Sail and Anchor, released a statement relaying their sympathies for Mr Cusack’s family, and support for the pub’s staff.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Cusack at this time. We have also provided counselling for our staff as a result of this tragic accident.”
The police put together a report for the Coroner, but were not intending to take the matter any further. A spokesperson stated: “We are not treating the death as suspicious as this is a health safety matter.”
Last week, The City of Fremantle announced it would launch a safety probe into the incident. Council safety inspectors visited the pub to inspect the balcony. As per building code regulations, balcony railings are supposed to be at least a metre in height for new pubs, but for older buildings this requirement is not enforced. Sail and Anchor, a heritage-listed landmark, was established in the early 1900s.
TheShout has contacted The City of Fremantle for more information on the probe, but is yet to hear back.