Cabramatta: Residents evacuated from Myall St unit block after roof collapse

Residents have described hearing a cracking sound in the moments before a roof collapsed at a southwest Sydney unit block.

More than a dozen residents have been evacuated from a unit block on Myall St, Cabramatta after a roof collapsed. Picture: FRNSW

More than a dozen people have been forced to seek alternate accommodation after a roof collapse at a townhouse block in Sydney’s southwest.

Emergency services were called to the block of six townhouses on Myall St in Cabramatta about 12.40pm on Wednesday after reports the roof had suddenly caved in.

Twenty firefighters including specialist Fire and Rescue NSW crews assisted with the evacuation of the residents and established an exclusion zone around the site, and have isolated power to the building.

Residents were evacuated from a unit block in Myall St in Cabramatta after the building’s roof suddenly collapsed. Picture: Elizabeth Neil

A small crowd of people were seen gathered across the street from the block including resident Luan Drung.

Mr Drung, who has lived in the unit with his wife for more than two decades, claimed there had been issues with the building since 2024, and that a crack in his ceiling had been raised with STRATA several times but never properly fixed.

He said neighbouring units also had issues with leaky roofs, which were never properly fixed.

An image provided of the roof damage prior to its collapse. Picture: Supplied

Emergency services were called to the block of six townhouses about 12.40pm on Wednesday. Picture: Elizabeth Neil

The collapse happened while he was at work, but he said he received a teary phone call from his wife earlier in the day about the crack.

Residents reportedly heard the sound of cracking timber before the roof caved in.

No one was injured but Mr Drung said it had rendered himself and his wife, along with about 13 other residents, homeless.

“(It’s) unlucky for everyone,” he said.

A resident provided this image of severe cracking along their ceiling just hours prior to the incident taking place. Picture: Supplied

Initial inspections by firefighters and drone footage revealed that the roof appeared to have “existing structural damage”. Picture: FRNSW

He told this masthead he wasn’t sure how long it would take to repair the damage, and that he was told he could not re-enter the property to get his belongings – not even daily medication to manage high blood pressure.

He said he was “very sad” about the situation.

“Now I’m homeless … everything is stuck in there,” he said.

The exclusion zone for the street lifted around 4pm on Wednesday.

Council workers and firefighters are working together to stabilise the site. Picture: FRNSW

Twenty firefighters including specialist Fire and Rescue NSW crews assisted with the evacuation. Picture: Elizabeth Neil

Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Superintendent Mat Sigmund said initial inspections by firefighters and drone footage revealed that the roof appeared to have “existing structural damage” prior to the incident.

“The roof section from end to end, has collapsed internally into the top floor of those townhouses,” he said.

“It appears as though there was some work, or some previous damage, existing damage to the roof.”

Firefighters are working with Fairfield Council workers to secure the site and are expected to remain for an extended period of time as they stabilise the building and gather further information.