Resurrecting 7.3 Earthquake damaged Port Villa, Vanuatu. Demolition by Ward Brunet

On the 17th of December 2024, a 7.3 earthquake struck Vanuatu’s capitol Port Vila, killing 14 people and displacing 1473 from their homes. The extensive damage shut down the city. Ward Brunet Ltd, is a collaboration between New Zealand’s Ward Demolition and Vanuatu’s Pierre Brunet Enterprises, born out of necessity to resurrect earthquake damaged Vanuatu. Ward Demolition have the high level of expertise with unstable multistory demolition, gained from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake aftermath and 38 years of demolition experience. Pierre Brunet Enterprise is a Vanuatuan company with over 30 years’ experience in construction and civil works. Their local knowledge, connections and workforce was crucial to the collaboration. Together, Ward Brunet has safely executed the Demolition of 15 out of 20 earthquake damaged structures so far. Challenges included having to adapt the limited equipment readily available on an island with limited resources. Improving the lack of safety equipment and procedures due to a lack of safety laws/ work safe. Speed was paramount to allow the community to begin reestablishing the local economy. Dalton Ward, lead operator said: “as a company these projects have been some of the most rapid demolitions we have seen in our careers.”