Essendon plane crash: DFO to reopen on Monday, creates public memorial
A memorial will be set up at Essendon's DFO centre. Photo: AAP
The Melbourne shopping centre at the centre of a tragic plane crash that claimed five lives on Tuesday will set up a public memorial for people to pay their respects.
A local pilot and four American tourists were killed when the small charter plane suffered catastrophic engine failure and crashed into DFO in Essendon.
No-one else was hurt in the incident.
The centre will open a community memorial area from midday today, and leave it open over the weekend.
Most shops will open to the public on Monday, except for about a dozen stores that are without power or were damaged in the crash.
DFO managing director Angus McNaughton said staff and the community needed the chance to grieve.
“I think everybody is naturally shaken. I think with any major incident, individuals are certainly going to be shaken around it,” he said.
“So, obviously, the site is closed at the moment, but our team has been provided regular counselling. We are going to have a regular counsellor available on site all week next week.”
Investigations into the crash, lead by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are continuing, with a preliminary report expected within four weeks.
See dramatic photos from the aftermath of the crash
On Thursday, Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester said the cockpit voice recorder had been recovered and taken to Canberra for analysis.
Locals who live near Essendon Airport have raised concerns about the proximity of the airport to suburbia, and some have called for it to be closed.
Premier Daniel Andrews said that was unlikely to happen, but the Government would be ready to make any changes recommended by authorities once investigations had been completed.
