A 45-year-old man has died and his 19-year-old stepson seriously injured after a retaining wall collapsed at a social housing construction site in West End on Tuesday morning.
Kimura Dixon was working at the Boundary Street site when the wall gave way just before 8:30am. Emergency services declared him dead at the scene.
His stepson, who was working in a shallow trench about one metre from the boundary wall, became trapped from the waist down. The teenager spent more than an hour pinned beneath the rubble before being freed by emergency crews.
Queensland Police Inspector Chris Pemberton credited the quick thinking of six co-workers and four police officers who arrived first on scene with saving the young man’s life.
“The 19-year-old male had a large amount of concrete on his chest which was restricting his breathing,” Inspector Pemberton said. “Those workers and the four attending police removed that concrete prior to the arrival of anyone else, which would have saved his life.”
The teenager was transported to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition following what emergency services described as a “prolonged extrication”.
Queensland Fire Department Acting Inspector Marc O’Brien described the rescue operation as “tricky”, with crews using equipment typically deployed in disaster zones to monitor the site’s safety during the extraction. Large pieces of plywood were placed over open trenches to ensure the safety of emergency service workers.
“We offer condolences to family, friends and workmates,” Acting Inspector O’Brien said.
Eight workers were on site at the time of the incident. Inspector Pemberton said the tragedy was particularly difficult given the proximity to Christmas and the fact the two victims were known to each other.
At least one resident living adjacent to the construction site was asked to evacuate due to safety concerns about their property.
Rhett, who lives next door to the scene, told ABC Radio Brisbane that police knocked on doors asking residents to leave immediately over fears of further structural issues.
Boundary Street remains closed between Melbourne Street and Edmondstone Street, with motorists advised to avoid the area.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has launched an investigation into the incident, with Queensland Police preparing a report for the coroner.
Published 2-December-2025
