New cracks at Mascot Towers force businesses to evacuate
Restaurants and businesses on the ground floor of Mascot Towers were told to close last night when firefighters arrived to set up an exclusion zone after new cracks were discovered in the building.
NSW
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New cracks have been discovered at the troubled Mascot Towers, prompting an immediate evacuation of businesses in the complex which could be forced to close for up to six weeks in a fresh disaster for owners and tenants.
A number of restaurants and businesses on the ground floor of the building were unexpectedly told to close on Thursday night when Fire and Rescue crews were called in to tape off the area in front of the towers around 10pm.
It comes after structural engineers yesterday found cracking in the brick masonry facade on the western and southern sides of one of the towers, sparking concern about falling objects.
Mascot Towers owners corporation spokesman Patrick McGuire confirmed no new cracking has been discovered within the actual building and no bricks have fallen.
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Owners and residents received an email late last night informing them that an “urgent risk assessment workshop” had taken place that afternoon following the discovery of the cracks and determined that authorities be made aware of the situation.
“It appears to the experts that the brickwork itself is taking unintended loads which is causing the cracking of that brickwork,” they were told in the update, marked “strictly confidential”.
“One of those areas presents particular issues as it is above the commercial tenancies on Bourke St.
“It was previously assumed that the brickwork facade would be safe from dislodgement based on the presence of cavity ties.”
While dislodgement of brickwork was deemed to only have a “small chance” of occurring, it was considered a “high risk” given the danger associated with falling objects.
Stabilisation works, involving the “propping of the brickwork and the installation of wall tie-backs”, are underway but it will be some time before the problem is fixed.
“Present indications are that the works required to remove the immediate dislodgement risk ought to be capable of completion within 4-6 weeks,” the update read.
The owners corporation has also written to SafeWork NSW about the issue, saying there is a “risk to public health and safety” as a result of the masonry cracking on the building’s facade.
A spokeswoman from the Better Regulation Division said NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler had been made aware of the possible risks associated with the incident.
“Early advice is that there is a low probability of an incident occurring, however for public safety temporary exclusion zones have been established,” she said.
“The Commissioner’s enquiries are ongoing.”
Over 100 owners and tenants were evacuated from the decade-old building in June last year after cracks were discovered in the basement and concerns were raised over its structural integrity.