Sydney’s Opal Tower declared defect-free nearly 8 years after cracks forced evacuation

Sydney’s Opal Tower has been declared defect-free nearly eight years after structural cracks forced residents to leave their homes on Christmas Eve 2018. What began as an emergency evacuation at the newly built residential complex led to years of repairs, temporary relocations, compensation efforts and legal disputes. According to ABC News, which reported the development, the building’s owners corporation marked the milestone at a ceremony following the extensive rectification work. A New South Wales Parliament inquiry report and the Supreme Court of NSW’s records provide the official background to the building’s defects and the class action that followed.Christmas Eve cracks triggered an evacuationThe Opal Tower, a 36-storey residential building at Sydney Olympic Park, became the focus of an emergency response on December 24, 2018, after cracks appeared in its structure. Residents were evacuated as authorities assessed whether the building was safe.