Residents locked out as crane at risk of collapse, roofs lifted off buildings after wild winds

A working crane is at risk of toppling over and roofs have been lifted off buildings as wild winds pound Sydney and surrounds, causing huge traffic delays and leaving residents in the lurch.

A Meriton crane is tilting dangerously on Pennant Hills Rd in Carlingford. Picture Thomas Lisson

Wild winds have smashed Sydney’s suburbs as a cold front arrived from the west, with a crane tilting dangerously and roofs being lifted off buildings.

Pennant Hills Rd at Carlingford is closed in both directions between Marsden Rd and Evans Rd after a crane was seen leaning to one side, with 350 workers evacuated from the building site.

Nearby residential apartments were also evacuated, with no injuries reported.

Residents of nearby apartments may be unable to return to their homes overnight as engineers continue to assess the extent of the damage.

Local resident Graham Gillard was evacuated from his home nearby and is sheltering at his daughter’s house while other residents reportedly wait 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.

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

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

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.

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.

Originally published as Residents locked out as crane at risk of collapse, roofs lifted off buildings after wild winds