A large gum tree crashed into a home at Avalon Beach last Thursday evening, forcing a family to flee their residence during stormy weather.
Emergency services were called to Buyuma Place, Avalon Beach, off Catalpa Avenue, just after 7:15 PM on May 1. NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW Avalon Station, and NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Warringah/Pittwater Unit responded to the incident, navigating wet conditions to reach the property located at the end of the cul-de-sac backing onto Stapleton Reserve.
Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered significant structural damage to the house caused by the fallen tree. Six people were inside the home when the incident occurred, including two elderly and infirm residents.
Firefighters assisted all occupants from the damaged structure to the street, where paramedics assessed them. Despite the severity of the incident, the residents sustained only minor scrapes, with none requiring hospitalisation or further medical treatment.
Authorities deemed the badly damaged house too dangerous for the residents to return. The displaced family was collected by relatives and taken to stay in a nearby home.
SES volunteers were unable to remove the large fallen tree in the dark and stormy conditions but secured the area to ensure the tree posed no additional threat to neighbouring properties.
The incident occurred during a period of wet weather in the Northern Beaches area, with more rain expected in the coming days according to weather forecasts.
Published 2-May-2025
