Men fatally crushed at Eagle Farm in ‘safety failure’

Rex Martinich | January 16, 2026

Two workers were crushed to death while building a wastewater tank at a racecourse due to “egregious disregard” for safety, a coroner has found.

Ashley Pangana Morris, 34, and Humberto Ferreira Leite, 55, were killed at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm Racecourse on October 6, 2016, after becoming sandwiched between two slabs in a domino effect.

Queensland coroner Donald MacKenzie released his findings into the deaths on Friday after declining to hold an inquest in part due to the mental state of a key witness.

“However, I do consider publishing these findings will act as a beacon exposing the egregious disregard for the safety of Mr Morris and Mr Leite, which caused their deaths,” Mr MacKenzie said.

The subcontractors were in a pit to guide pre-cast concrete tank sections into place as they were lowered by a crane operator.

The below-ground tanks were being constructed to hold effluent from horse stables as part of the racecourse’s redevelopment.

Each concrete slab – designed to form a complete side of the tank – weighed between nine and 11 tonnes and measured five by five metres.

The metal brace beams designed to hold the walls of the tank upright failed, resulting in one slab falling towards the pit’s floor.

Mr Morris and Mr Leite were able to get on top of the falling slab but were subsequently crushed by another falling slab, killing them instantly.

Construction Building Technologies Pty Ltd manager Claudio D’Alessandro, who was supervising the workers, was charged with two counts of manslaughter on November 14, 2016.

D’Alessandro attempted to board a flight to the Philippines the next day but was detained by Border Force at Brisbane International Airport.

He suffered a stroke in December 2022 and a year later was found to be permanently unfit for trial by the Mental Health Court.

Prosecutors discontinued the manslaughter and workplace safety charges against D’Alessandro.

It was “curious” that the court had given no explanation why D’Alessandro was found permanently unfit for trial, Mr MacKenzie said.

“Commonly, applicants claiming to have a permanent disability are granted temporary stay of their criminal proceedings and are monitored by the Mental Health Court before a permanent unfitness for trial is granted,” he said.

Mr Morris and Mr Leite died “due to a failure of proper work, health, and safety procedures”, the coroner found.

There were multiple breaches of the construction code of practice including not having an escape route from the pit if the concrete walls collapsed, inadequate bracing to keep the walls upright and the pit having an uneven floor.

Criscon, the company ultimately in charge of the racecourse redevelopment, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Queensland’s Work Health and Safety Act and was fined $625,000.

Due to the workplace safety authority’s subsequent crackdown on “cowboy” operators, Mr MacKenzie did not make recommendations.

“I have great sympathy for the families of the deceased,” he said.

“There have been lengthy delays in the criminal justice, mental health and coronial systems and I can readily understand their frustrations.”