Two people crushed by tree in Sydney park as wild winds wreak havoc across city

Two people have been injured after a massive tree fell in damaging winds in Sydney’s Hyde Park, and numerous other people have had lucky escapes from fallen trees across the city.

Two people were treated by paramedics after a massive tree fell in heavy winds at Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD on Friday, as wild weather also ripped the roof from a multistorey building on Victoria Rd, Drummoyne, crushing two cars.

Emergency services were called to dozens of incidents across Greater Sydney as the Bureau of Meteorology recorded wind speeds of 93km/hr in the CBD.

High voltage power lines fell onto a bus on Bexley Rd, Bexley, after a falling tree snapped a telegraph pole.

A tree has fallen onto a person from Hyde Park onto the footpath on Elizabeth in Sydney CBD.

Just minutes later the Princes Hwy at Rockdale ground to a halt when scaffolding threatened to fall onto the road, while a car was crushed on Homer St, Kingsgrove, by a tree. Two trees also fell on tracks at Kirrawee and St Peters.

And fans had to be evacuated from a section of the SCG, after a piece of roof cladding fell from the Bill O’Reilly Stand onto seating below at the Sixers-Thunder Big Bash clash. Security guards and ground officials quickly moved the patrons.

Emergency workers attend to the injured after a tree fell on Elizabeth Street. Picture: Ted Lamb

Emergency services raced to Hyde Park after the enormous tree fell over onto the footpath and road on the Elizabeth St side of the park.

Paramedics transported one person to St Vincent’s Hospital with minor injuries. The second was treated at the scene.

Shocking images showed a person sitting in the gutter beside the fallen tree.

Footage taken shortly after the incident showed multiple police cars in the lanes of Elizabeth Street directly next to the footpath, with a mass of branches and leaves from the tree blocking the entire width of the footpath near a bus stop.

A rideshare bicycle from HelloBike could be seen poking out from beneath the foliage.

The Bureau of Meteorology reported a risk of damaging winds in the Sydney metropolitan area earlier in the day, with conditions also causing two separate trees to fall on the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra train line in recent hours, knocking out train services.

A tree on a car in Homer St, Kingsgrove. Picture: Facebook

Another tree came down on power lines and caused a gas leak in West Pymble, with NSW Fire and Rescue is responding to multiple jobs in the wild conditions.

The jobs included trees down, wires down, trees on power lines, awnings dislodged, and solar panels ripped off buildings.

People were urged to stay away from fallen power lines.

Anyone with storm damage should contact the State Emergency Service on 132 500.

A tree over the train line at St Peters. Picture: Supplied

The carnage unfolded across Sydney as heavy winds continue.

DRUMMOYNE

A major road in Drummoyne was closed and multiple cars were trapped when a roof was blown off a shop.

One person was injured in the incident.

Emergency works at the scene in Drummoyne where a shop roof was blown off onto cars on a road. Picture: Facebook

ROCKDALE: HIGHWAY CLOSED

The Princes Highway was closed in one direction due to scaffolding threatening to fall on the road near Rockdale in southern Sydney.

At 5pm on Friday, Transport for NSW confirmed the northbound lane would be closed until further notice between Rockdale Plaza Drive and Bay St.

Police closed off the road due to concerns sections of scaffolding from a nearby construction site might topple onto traffic in heavy winds.

Drivers planning their commute via the Princes Highway were urged to check Live Traffic for access updates.

TRAFFIC LIGHTS OUT

Traffic lights were blacking out across the city due to power failures.

Western Sydney was hit hardest, with blackouts reported on Woodville Rd ,Villawood, Fairfield Rd at Guildford West, Wentworth Ave at Pendle Hill, and Wentworthville on the Cumberland Highway.

Marsden Rd at Epping, Oak Rd at Kirrawee and Moorebank Rd at Heathcote were also affected, with fresh blackouts being reported every few minutes.

CROYDON

A tree fell on parked cars on a side-street off busy Milton St, Croydon

Branches down on cars in Croydon during the high winds. Picture: Jo Seymour

BEXLEY: TREES, LINES DOWN

High voltage power lines came down on a bus on Bexley Rd after a falling tree snapped a telegraph pole.

Images also showed a tree smashing through a car on Homer St in Kingsgrove.

CABRAMATTA:

The NSW SES in Fairfield reported a tree had fallen on six cars at Cabramatta Leisure Centre in Sydney’s southwest, and another took out power lines before smashing through a fence on Torrens St in Canley Heights.

ILLAWARRA:

In the Illawarra, Macquarie Pass was closed when a car and fire truck collided, with 200 litres of diesel fuel spilling onto the roadway. The road was reopened by 2.45pm.

Lawrence Hargrave Dr was also closed in both directions between Stanwell Tops and Baldwell Hill after a tree fell across the road and powerlines.

A tree has fallen on cars at Cabramatta Leisure Centre.

Another tree uprooted in the wild weather at Canley Heights.

GYMEA:

Hundreds of residents in Gymea, in Sydney’s south, were also affected by a power outage due to a fallen tree on Arcadia Ave, with power not expected to be restored for hours.

Another tree crashed down nearby on Sylvania Road South, blocking the road.

BOAT CAPSIZED:

A boat capsized in Botany Bay, prompting NSW Police Marine Area Command and Marine Rescue to race to its aid near the end of Runway 34 at Sydney International Airport.

The boat was towed back to the Marine Area Command outpost in Sans Souci, while extreme wind has also caused damage to a back-up airport control tower and blown off a door towards a runway at the airport.

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Originally published as Two people crushed by tree in Sydney park as wild winds wreak havoc across city