How stacker malfunction in CBD apartment building crushed one car and trapped 30 more - leaving residents without access to their vehicles for MONTHS

Residents in an upmarket apartment tower have been left without access to their cars for almost two months after a six-storey car stacker went haywire - crushing one car and trapping 30 more. 

The residents of Melbourne's Bond Quarter building were startled by huge bang which shook the walls as one car was dropped by the car lift moments after the owner got out of the way.  

Almost two months on from that July 4 mishap the cars remain inaccessible and frustrated residents still have no answers as to when they will be able to use their  vehicles again despite being told a full investigation was held days later on July 7. 

Currently they remain piled in the car-stacker, with the owners of the building on Spencer Street in the CBD still assessing how to get them out. 

The car lift malfunctioned and dropped one car - crushing the vehicle and trapping the remaining 30  

One resident said he and his partner - both essential workers - now have to pay for Ubers to and from work each day which is costing about $750 a month. 

'I can't afford to sustain it... It's just been a blame game about what's happened and who's responsible,' Corey Dickson told A Current Affair. 

He said he's still waiting to hear if a solution has been organised and was told a crane would need to be brought in to the basement to lift the cars out of the stacker one by one. 

A problem with large motor that powers the car lift was apparently responsible for the car dropping, he added. 

Resident Corey Dickson said he and his partner are spending $750 a month on Ubers to get to their essential work 

Some of the building's residents stand outside the door to the car stacker but have no way of getting their vehicles out

Other residents have bought bicycles to cycle to work and medical student Bowen Lim added he has had to pay extra cash to get to his job as a Covid contact tracer.  

Another resident John said they have not been offered rental cars and has not idea if there will be any compensation offered. 

Emergency nurse Dayne Jackson said with her shift work hours public transport is not feasible and the ordeal has added to her stress. 

'I've had to rely on Ubers which is becoming a really large expense,' she said.  

She said she had not been given an idea when she would be able to get her car back. 

The owners' corporation of the building SOCM told ACA via their lawyers that the process was taking so long because they had brought in engineers to assess the situation and were also dealing with the insurance company. 

The owners' corporation of The Bond Quarter in Melbourne said they were in talks with engineers and insurers 

Owners' Corporation statement

'We are also instructed to put you on notice that immediately following the breakdown of the car stacker system the Owners Corporation committee of management and the Owners Corporation Manager took steps to make the building safe, to obtain an engineering opinion, and to make a claim under the relevant insurance policy.'

'The insurance company is assessing the claim including obtaining specialist engineering advice. This process has taken longer than anyone would have wished, however, due to the need to ensure safety of all persons, and to protect property, it is essential that appropriate specialist engineering advice is obtained.'