Adelaide storm mop up: Large crane topples, perspex panels fall from CBD high-rise

Perspex panels have plummeted from a high-rise CBD building, with a local businessman saying something needs to be done before someone gets killed.

Gawler Place business owners say it’s lucky someone wasn’t killed after large perplex panels and metal framing fell from the City Cross building due to wild weather.

In one of many scenes of chaos left by Tuesday’s storm, the panels and metal framing fell from the multistorey City Cross building above Chemist Warehouse, leaving a pile of debris in the middle of the shared pedestrian street.

A local businessman who owns a unit next door to the City Cross building said something should be done before someone gets killed.

“This shouldn’t happen here in Adelaide … lucky that someone didn’t get killed because if it happened during the day when we all walk down here it could have ended in fatality,” he said.

Jay Chen, who works at Adelaide CBD Aquarium opposite the incident, said he arrived to work and the debris was there. Entrance to the store from Rundle Mall is closed off, and Mr Chen said seeing the debris was “scary”.

Smashed windows from the building in Gawler Place, CBD. Picture: Kitty Barr

The damage was the result of the wild storm. Picture Kitty Barr

Adelaide City Council workers were at the scene and roped off the road during their clean up.

Surrounding businesses said the incident happened before they came into work on Wednesday.

Director of Revelop, Anthony El-Hazouri, who owns City Cross, said the company was working with its engineers, the council and its team to “make safe the area, the remaining facade and action remedial works on an urgent basis.”

Mr El-Hazouri said that while the event was without injury, it reminded the industry of the risks of current weather events plaguing Australia.

“We, as all property owners must, remain vigilant and react with public safety at the forefront of our minds and actions,” he said.

“The public can rest assured we have implemented and will continue to implement all recommendations and actions sought by the experts with the urgency and diligence the situation requires.”

Bertram Street at Hackney is closed in both directs after a crane’s main boom has snapped and dropped its load onto nearby parked cars. picture Nine News

To add to the carnage, cars have been damaged after a large crane’s main boom snapped at a construction site at Hackney.

The incident occurred about 9am on Bertram St when the crane dropped its load onto cars parked on the street below, cutting power to hundreds of nearby properties.

It has been closed in both directions while materials and debris are cleared from the scene.

Nobody was inside the cars at the time of the incident.

The State Emergency Service (SES) responded to around 415 calls for assistance, as the big clean-up continues.

An SES spokesperson told ABC Radio Adelaide the callers predominantly reporting fallen trees and power lines. Thousands of customers remain without power.

“We are already getting some calls from residents who have woken up with damage,” the spokesperson said.

“But, I’m not aware of anyone having to move out of their home due to structure damage.”

The storm has also shut down many roads on Kangaroo Island, including the island’s main road to the ferry terminal, as well as roads across Adelaide.

Part of Greenhill Rd between Glynburn Rd and Gartell St and Hackney Rd near Vailima Ct at Hackney remain closed while emergency services clear fallen power lines.

Originally published as Adelaide storm mop up: Large crane topples, perspex panels fall from CBD high-rise