A Sydney couple is counting their blessings after a gum tree crashed into their kitchen while they were taking a nap.
Keli Ou and May Sun were in the bedroom of their home in Eastwood, in Sydney’s northwest, on Sunday when they heard a loud sound.
The couple were horrified to discover that a huge tree from the house next door had crashed through the walls of their house and destroyed the kitchen, terrace, patio and clothesline.
“I was very scared,” Mrs. Sun said. 9Newsrevealing that they could have been killed if they had decided to have afternoon tea in the kitchen instead of a nap.
Hearing the loud crash, the couple’s neighbor, Yin Huang, ran out and shouted to make sure they were okay.
Ms Huang claims she first notified Ryde Council about the unstable tree more than a year ago and was initially told it was “sustainable”.
Last October he made a second offer to remove the tree, which was rejected, and sent photos of large cracks in its trunk in May and November of this year.
On Friday, the council asked Ms Huang to resubmit an application to inspect the tree, but 48 hours later it was too late.
A couple were left shocked after a huge gum tree crashed into their house, destroying their terrace, patio and kitchen (pictured).
Residents Keli Ou (left) and May Sun (right) dodged death on Sunday after deciding to take a nap upstairs instead of having afternoon tea in their now-destroyed kitchen.
Ryde Council has rejected several requests to remove the tree
“We submitted an application in January 2023 and it was rejected,” he said.
‘We request a review. It’s been rejected again.’
Both Ms. Huang and her neighbors were so worried about the tree that they chose to stay inside during the bad weather for fear of being hurt.
A Ryde Council spokesperson said: “The tree, which is located on private land, was previously assessed as acceptable for retention in accordance with accepted industry methodologies.”
“When the owner of the tree raised concerns about a change in its health and condition last week, they were informed that a new inspection request was necessary and, unfortunately, the tree failed before any further inspection could be carried out.” .
The couple will stay in a hotel while debris is removed from their home before deciding who will foot the large bill for the damage.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ryde City Council for further comment.