Some of them were there on that fateful day in 2011.
A judge authorised a class action that could end up being the largest in New Zealand's history, with potentially thousands of claimants.
The six-storey building was destroyed in February 2011, killing 115 people.
At 12:51pm 10 years ago on Monday, Christchurch was changed forever.
"You displayed great fortitude in the face of sudden, overwhelming loss."
"It is a chance for us all to remember those people, and stand with the families, loved ones and friends who grieve them."
Ten years on and these recordings are a raw reminder of that fateful day.
"Just seeing a row of bodies is something that's burnt in my mind."
As New Zealand remembers the disaster a decade on, here is a look back at the devastation.
