Residents still locked out and workers evacuated as crane threatens collapse following wild winds

A major arterial road is closed and homes evacuated in Sydney’s north west after wild winds battered Sydney’s suburbs. Here’s the latest.

Residents of Carlingford were still unable to return to their homes on Thursday morning due to ongoing safety concerns after wild winds ravaged Sydney’s suburbs overnight.

The fierce gusts, which accompanied a cold front sweeping in from the west, have subsided for the meantime, but their impact continues to threaten the stability of a crane at a nearby construction site.

It is believed the emergency was triggered when two anchor pins failed, with strong winds that ripped through the city on Wednesday thought to have played a role.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Carlingford work site on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Fire and Rescue NSW confirmed that an additional 200 residents from nearby unit blocks were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Businesses near the site have also been forced to close as the crane remains unstable, and emergency crews work to secure the area.

As strong winds are expected to continue, the risk of further structural failure is high, and authorities have stressed the importance of maintaining a safe distance.

Around 350 workers who were also evacuated from the construction site remain off the job as authorities work to secure the area.

Pennant Hills Rd remains closed as of Thursday morning, with fears Sydneysiders are in for another nightmare commute.

On Wednesday night, local resident Graham Gillard was evacuated from his home nearby and was sheltering at his daughter’s house while other residents reportedly waited at a nearby shopping centre.

Mr Gillard said “strong winds appear to be the cause” of the tilting crane.

“When we were evacuated, the police told us we could gather at Carlingford Court,” he said.

“Shops (are) closed with the exception of some food sellers, some handing out food.”

Traffic chaos resulted in the afternoon, with cars backed up along the major road.

At least 697 incidents were reported to the NSW State Emergency Service, with 157 of those in metropolitan Sydney.

Major roads in the cities northwest remain closed amid fears a crane could tip over. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

SES acting assistant commissioner Allison Flaxman said the agency had been dealing with a large number of fallen trees and powerlines.

“In the Illawarra, NSW SES crews have been assisting with the clean up at several schools, medical facilities and properties which have seen damage to roofs, fencing and sheds,” she said.

The dangerous crane has impacted traffic on Pennant Hills Rd, which is now closed in both directions between Marsden Rd and Evans Rd. Picture: Facebook

Winds reached 115km/h in Wollongong, with damage to local schools and the city’s CBD and sections of roof being blown off several commercial buildings. In the SES’s south east zone, 431 incidents have been reported since midnight.

“Until the wind eases, we will see items being blown around as projectiles which could cause serious injury to people and further damage to property,” Ms Flaxman said.

Significant wind damage was also reported in Randwick and Maroubra, as well as some incidents around Sydney Airport where winds reached 50km/h.

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Originally published as Residents still locked out and workers evacuated as crane threatens collapse following wild winds