A 10-storey building has partially collapsed at a demolition site in Sydney‘s inner west, sparking the evacuation of hundreds of office workers and residents.
The unoccupied building in Burwood fell onto an excavator, which is now propping the structure up, just after 3pm on Wednesday.
A worker is inside the cabin of the excavator. He is safe and able to get out, but he has been told to stay put for the structural integrity of the building, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said.
‘Areas started to collapse which has caused issues with the scaffolding as well, the risk is collapsing onto public roads or people being hurt, or it actually falling into harm’s way,’ FRNSW Superintendent Josh Turner said.
‘The excavator was put into position to actually support the building and the scaffolding… It’s there as a precaution if it starts to move it can actually take a bit of the load from that.’
An operation is underway to manage the fallen sections of the building.
Mr Turner said the excavator operator is not at risk of injury.
‘It’s an enclosed cabin … Ideally it’s not there to have buildings collapse upon them, but he has a level of protection around him.’
The building reportedly became unstable during the demolition process, causing it to fall, taking scaffolding with it.
‘We have specialist recuse crews attending including our heavy rescue,’ Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Superintendent Mat Sigmund said.
‘We are assessing the situation and engaging engineers and experts… It will be an ongoing incident.’
The NSW Police are also on site.
Burwood Library has evacuated its premises, which residents of an apartment block on Railway Parade may have a long wait to get back into their homes after they too were evacuated.
They have been advised to find alternative accommodation for the night.
Local woman Mariana Leung rushed home from work after her mother told her about the evacuation.
‘They all said everybody’s evacuated,’ Ms Leung told the Daily Telegraph.
‘My mum’s not great with English so she wasn’t aware if there was a fatal incident. It’s risky isn’t it?
‘There are days that are very windy and our balconies and curtains are covered with dust.
‘There are days I simply cannot open the balcony door.’
The Burwood Council carpark next door to the demolition site is also closing due to the collapse.
