Flammable cladding at Sydney train stations found in audit
Flammable cladding similar to the material which fuelled the fatal Grenfell Tower fire disaster in 2017 has been found at two Sydney train stations during an audit.
St George Shire Standard
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Flammable cladding similar to the material which fuelled the fatal Grenfell Tower fire disaster in 2017 has been found at two Sydney train stations during an audit.
Transport for NSW confirmed aluminium composite panels installed during an extensive $23 million upgrade of Oatley station in Sydney’s south had to be ripped off and replaced at a cost of $677,000.
“Following an audit of stations that began in the second half of 2017, a decision was made to replace aluminium composite panels at Oatley,” a spokesman said.
“The majority of panels have now been replaced and work is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018.”
The non-compliant cladding was also removed from a lift shaft at Auburn station and replaced for $50,000.
The audit began in late 2017 after fire ripped through the Grenfell Tower apartment block in London, claiming 72 lives and bringing global attention to the danger of non-compliant cladding.
The cladding has not been detected at any other Sydney station but the audit is ongoing.
Oatley Labor state election candidate Lucy Mannering said the flammable cladding put lives at risk and should never have been installed.
“At Oatley, it’s cost $677,000 to make the station safe - money that could’ve been spent on schools and hospitals,” Ms Mannering said.
“The government needs to come clean on how much this dangerous mistake has cost NSW taxpayers.”
The State Government introduced new laws for buildings with combustible cladding after the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.
Under new regulations, owners of buildings with external combustible cladding are required to register with the State Government through an online portal by February 22, 2019.