Mascot report finds new issue
An engineers’ report has found Sydney’s Mascot Towers are “moving downward”.
The 10-year-old building had to be evacuated in mid-June 14 after continued cracking in the primary support structure and facade masonry.
Many residents of the 132 units are still left with nowhere to sleep while authorities scramble to determine who is at fault.
Mascot Towers’ co-ordinating engineer has now uncovered a new issue.
“It appears that the building is moving in a downward motion,” a message sent to residents and owners this week said.
The update did not give any more details on what “downward motion” actually means.
Geotechnical engineers have been on site, supported by Engineers Australia, and internal monitoring has been expanded.
The authorities say equipment to measure external movement has been set up on Church Ave and Bourke Road.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is not answering questions about whether evacuated residents have to repay the money the government has spent on emergency accommodation.
The NSW Government has put up a multimillion-dollar assistance package “until liability can be determined and these costs recovered”.
Residents are being offered one-off emergency loans for up to $400 per night worth of temporary accommodation, for up to three months.
It is also unclear what will happen if there is no party clearly at fault.
Ms Berejiklian said the government is “working through those issues”.
“The engineers haven’t yet finished their assessments,” she said.