By Laura Chung
Residents of an apartment block in the inner-Sydney suburb of Mascot have been evacuated because of "identifiable movements in the basement area" of the building, Fire and Rescue NSW said.
More than 90 units in a Mascot apartment building have been evacuated.Credit: Ben Rushton
A spokesman said there were “signs of a problem” with the structure at Mascot Tower - on Bourke Street, near Church Avenue- and engineers deemed it necessary to evacuate about 96 units.
Emergency services were called as a precaution. There were no signs of any "immediate structural failures", the spokesman said.
Fire officer assistant commissioner of operational capability Roger Mentha, said residents could expect to be out of their homes for a couple of days.
Police said concerns had been raised over the "structural integrity" of the building about 6pm.
Officers cordoned off the area on Friday night and several fire trucks were parked outside the building for several hours.
Residents have been evacuated from the Mascot building complex.Credit: Ben Rushton
Rose Hirst, 30, was returning from work when she discovered she’d have to evacuate by 9pm. She called her husband and told him to ‘‘bring stuff and hurry’’.
‘‘I’m worried because I’m pregnant,’’ she said.
Ms Hirst said she was not sure where they would spend the night.
A letter sent to the 1-5 Bourke Street residents from the building manager, obtained by the Herald, outlined safety concerns raised by the building’s engineer following an inspection of ‘‘cracking in the transfer slab beams supporting the primary building corner’’.
Police have cordoned off the area.Credit: Laura Chung
"Following this inspection, the engineer has raised concerns over the safety for residents in the building," the letter stated.
"It has been determined that there will be a partial evacuation of the building, pending further monitoring of the transfer beams over the course of the next week. This will determine if the building is safe for reoccupation"
The letter sent to the residents of Mascot Towers.
Residents say they received the letter at various times throughout the night, with one woman finding out about the evacuation when her neighbour knocked on her door and showed it to her.
One resident, who gave his name only as Anthony, said he had been a resident since the building opened in mid-2008. He said there have been serious, “dodgy” issues with the building since day one.
Anthony said the evacuation was “really quite upsetting” and had left many residents in tears.
Marek Makowski, who lives in the building with his wife, said: “You can see [the cracks] when you walk in.’’
The 57-year-old said they have received mixed messages about whether they would be able to stay but they
were looking for somewhere else to go.
Violeta Adriaan, 35, with her belongings in tow, said she was annoyed she had to evacuate, and was feeling “pretty upset”. She spent the night with friends.
A temporary shelter has been established at Mascot Town Hall, on the corner of Coward Road and Botany Road, while residents can wait for the ‘all clear’.
There is speculation construction nearby may have ‘‘dislodged’’ the Mascot block. Thirty-seven units have been deemed ‘‘under no threat’’.
Engineers and building managers remain were examining the integrity and safety of the affected floors.
There were no reported injuries.
In December, hundreds of residents were evacuated from the newly built Opal Tower at Sydney Olympic Park after gaping cracks found in the building sparked fears it would collapse.
Fall-out from the damaged tower underscored concerns about new apartment buildings scattered across Sydney.
Resident Violeta Adriaan says she is spending the night with friends.Credit: Ben Rushton
A final report by the engineering experts engaged by the NSW government identified a series of structural design and construction failings that breached national building standards and caused the cracking.
Evacuated residents of the Mascot building were advised to use the Red Cross' “Register Find Reunite” to let family and friends know they were safe.