'An abomination': Sydney's 'worst' tower block is revealed as inspectors slam building as 'full of defects' and 'unfinished'
- A residential building dubbed Sydney's 'worst' tower block has been revealed
- NSW building commissioner said an Auburn building is 'the worst' he's inspected
- The tower has fire hazards and building defects, months after tenants moved in
- David Chandler said the tower was an 'abomination' which wasn't completed
- Holes were punched into some of the fire-rated enclosures around openings
- Construction waste was found in the basement, which was deemed a fire hazard
A residential building riddled with potentially life-threatening defects has been dubbed Sydney's 'worst' tower block.
New South Wales Building Commissioner David Chandler said the 16-storey building in Auburn, in western Sydney, was 'the worst he's inspected'.
Inspectors found the 251-unit tower still had fire hazards and building defects, months after owners and tenants moved in.
Mr Chandler said the 93 Auburn Road tower block was the 'straw that broke the camel's back' in convincing the NSW Government to crack down on faulty buildings.
It follows a series of scandals involving unit buildings across Sydney including Opal Tower at Sydney Olympic Park and Mascot Towers in the city's east.
The 251-unit tower in Auburn, western Sydney, still has fire hazards and building defects, months after owners and tenants moved in
The Auburn Road building was hit with an emergency fire safety order after an inspection from Cumberland Council, which found 'various faults'
New South Wales Building Commissioner David Chandler said the Auburn tower is 'an abomination' and 'the worst he's inspected'
Western Sydney property developer Merhis described its building as 'architectural landmarks of the finest standard'
The newly-built Opal Tower was evacuated in December 2018 after cracks discovered in the building sparked fears it could collapse.
Those living in Mascot Towers had to leave due to cracking in the primary support structure and facade last June.
Mr Chandler visited the Auburn building last October at the request of Fire and Rescue NSW, who were concerned about the tower's fire safety.
He was shocked at the 'abomination' of a building, claiming it wasn't finished and only had one elevator in working order, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Construction waste was found in the basement, which was deemed a fire hazard as 'all of the smoke would have gone up the lift shaft' if it had caught fire.
Mr Chandler said leaks were also spotted in the basement, where a pump was used to discharge a pool of water.
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A ventilation duct was installed too low, meaning in the event of a fire, firefighters could run into it.
Western Sydney property developer Merhis described its building as 'architectural landmarks of the finest standard,' but Mr Chandler said it fell short of fire safety, structure and waterproofing standards.
Ellie Zhang, who bought a two-bedroom apartment off the plan for $650,000, was shocked to see builders still working on the tower while she moved in a year ago.
'I had to pay a lot and this is my first apartment. I expect a lot more from it. It wasn't finished ... and the building wasn't painted properly. There was a hole in our roof,' she said.
Under his new powers that come into force in September, Mr Chandler will be able to withhold occupation certificates, which will stop builders or developers from forcing buyers to settle on properties with defects.
Last December, all Opal Tower residents returned to the Sydney apartment building which was evacuated 12 months earlier after cracking was discovered in the walls
The Auburn Road building was hit with an emergency fire safety order after an inspection from Cumberland Council, which found 'various faults'.
Three notices orders were issued between November and March, ordering structural engineers and fire safety experts to report on the development's compliance with the building code.
Merhis managing director Dave Stickland argued the defects had either been fixed or were in the process of being resolved.
'Many of the items raised are latent defects or were caused by extreme weather events (as well as several incidents involving damage by tenants),' he said in a statement.
Last December, all Opal Tower residents returned to the Sydney apartment building which was evacuated 12 months earlier after cracking was discovered in the walls.
An 122-unit residential block in Mascot was evacuated in June 2019 after cracks were found in the primary support structure and facade masonry
All 392 apartments at the Olympic Park complex had been returned to residents who were evacuated over fears the building could collapse.
A NSW government-commissioned report found critical support beams in the tower were left susceptible to 'bursting' because they were under-designed and made from lower-strength concrete.
Meanwhile, the 122-unit residential block in Mascot was evacuated in June 2019 after cracks were found in the primary support structure and facade masonry.
Residents were evacuated after concerns were raised about the structural integrity of their building.
Cracks in the basement of the decade-old building had widened in the lead up to the last minute evacuation, with many pointing blame at the newly built and unoccupied building next door.
Residents were evacuated after concerns were raised about the structural integrity of their building
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