A busy shopping mall in Sydney’s eastern suburbs was evacuated on Wednesday after a section of cosmetic ceiling collapsed inside the Virgin Active gym at Westfield Bondi Junction.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:55am, triggering an automatic fire alarm and prompt evacuation of the premises.
Witnesses reported seeing “black water” dripping from the roof, with a building service technician identifying the source of the leak as a broken water pipe on the second level.
Official Response and Investigation
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry stated that there was no structural collapse, attributing the incident to a broken water pipe.
“It’s the false ceiling or the cosmetic ceiling, the light panels that just cover the structure and the services such as water pipes, electricity, air conditioning ducts.
So to speak, it’s not a roof or ceiling collapse,” he clarified.
Firefighters responded promptly, and the situation was brought under control by 11:14am.
No injuries were reported, although the gym remained closed for the rest of the day.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of regular maintenance and inspections to prevent such incidents in public spaces.