Nothing like a good parochial story.
You see, Sydney City Council is building a swish new community centre to include, among other things, a new Surry Hills Library, at the moment temporarily housed on the Northcott Estate. Next door to the new library site is an Indian restaurant.
Police are warning of major delays to peak morning traffic in Surry Hills this morning after excavation work at a building site led to concerns about structural damage to an adjoining restaurant on Crown Street. The owners of Indian Chilli restaurant noticed cracks in their wall early this morning and alerted emergency services, a police spokesman said. Residents living above the restaurant in the two-storey building were evacuated.
It is understood construction work was underway at midnight when workers heard a cracking noise. A section of the restaurant building at the rear collapsed.
NSW Fire Brigades and police were called and the decision was made to close Crown Street between Devonshire and Foveaux Streets to traffic. This section of road will remain closed at least several hours as experts assess the damage caused to the building.
Of course this will not surprise anyone who warned that the country would start falling apart if Kevin Rudd were elected…
11.30 am
It appears the building is beyond saving; helicopters are over the site as I write.
A demolition crew is waiting at the site for orders to destroy at least two of the buildings next to the construction site. The state manager of the construction company, ProBuild, Mark Nathan said it did not appear that the building work had been responsible for the damage to the restaurant…
The restaurant and adjoining fashion store were expected to be destroyed today, said Andrew Ferguson, state secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union.
“Without any doubt the age of the building is a factor here,” he said.
He estimated the building housing the restaurant to be as much as 100 years old.
“We’ll see the demolition of buildings in the next few hours,” he said. “Both buildings need to be demolished.”
He said that there had been the danger of multiple fatalities early this morning, and said that 20 members of his union would not recommence work until the situation was resolved.
Crown Street remained closed in both directions, an RTA spokesman said.
Knowing that building, I’d say it is more like 130 years old.
1.50 pm
The state manager of the construction company, ProBuild, Mark Nathan said it did not appear that the building work had been responsible for the damage to the restaurant… How he knows that appears to be a mystery.
I have been in this restaurant, though not often. It was a friendly place. I do feel for the owner:
The uninsured owner of the damaged Indian restaurant to be demolished in Surry Hills today said his livelihood was now destroyed. Nasir Uddin, 54, said he was very upset after cracks were found in the walls of his restaurant, Indian Chilli, early this morning. Mr Uddin, who rents the building, said he did not know what he would do now as he was uninsured.
There was at least $200,000 worth of equipment, food and drink in the restaurant, which he cannot retrieve, he said.
“This has ruined my life, my everything is there,” Mr Uddin said. Mr Uddin said he had spent three years building up the business. “[It is] very hard, whole year was very quiet, waiting for Christmas time.”
Later
On the way to coaching I watched the demolition. Sad.
