Sydney Olympic Park: Thousands evacuated from Opal Tower and surrounding area after 'cracking' sounds spark fears building could collapse

Authorities cordon off a street leading to the Opal Tower at Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney
EPA
Ella Wills24 December 2018

More than 3,000 people living in or near to a 36-storey high-rise in Sydney were evacuated today after cracking noises sparked fears the building could collapse.

Residents of Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park reported hearing loud noises as if something in the building had "snapped" throughout the morning.

An emergency operation was launched to assess the building's structural integrity, with multiple buildings in the area evacuated as an exclusion zone was in place.

Firefighters and engineers were expected to enter the later on Monday to examine what caused the reported cracks on its 10th floor and to determine whether the building is in danger of collapse.

An exclusion zone was in place as emergency services assessed the building
EPA

"It's not going to be done in minutes. Hopefully it won't take longer than hours," Fire and Rescue Acting Inspector Greg Wright told reporters.

Experts using sensitive monitoring equipment determined the $165 million (£130 million) building, completed in August, had moved between 1 and 2 millimetres, according to police Detective Superintendent Philip Rogerson.

Police reportedly had to use heavy equipment to force open doors to allow residents to escape.

An exclusion zone with a radius of 1 kilometre (half a mile) was established around the building, forcing the evacuation of neighbouring buildings and the closure of roads and a train station.

An exterior view of the building
EPA

New South Wales police said in a statement that the alarm was raised by residents who reported hearing "cracking noises" throughout the morning.

The tower, which looms over the central site of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has 392 apartments, a retail area and a childcare centre.

Water and gas services were shut off and the tower was being isolated from the power grid, Mr Wright said.

Meriton, the operator of the neighbouring building, said in an email to residents that there was "potential for the tower to collapse."

A resident of the Opal Tower told the Nine News network he heard a loud bang as if something in the building had "snapped."

Another resident told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation there were cracks on the building's 12th and 13th floors.

"I'm concerned, of course," he said. "A few days ago the doors looked different, like they couldn't close properly. And you do feel (movement) sometimes when there's strong wind."

Residents from Opal Tower and surrounding properties had been taken to an evacuation centre and it was not clearly if or when they would be able to return to their homes.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.

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