A respected 91-year-old Indigenous Elder and great-great grandmother has narrowly escaped serious injury after her ceiling came crashing down at her home in Girrawheen, Perth.
Ceiling Collapse Incident
Oriel Green OAM had just moved from a room moments before the dangerous collapse on Thursday. Her granddaughter noticed cracks forming in the ceiling, prompting Green to investigate. As she turned to look, the ceiling gave way with a loud bang.
“I’ve never been in anything like that before. It’s so scary,” Green told 7NEWS.
Previous Warnings Ignored
Green, who has lived in the home for 40 years, said she had warned the Department of Housing twice about needed repairs—once in April and again on the day of the collapse. Her family believes her concerns were not taken seriously.
“My nana puts in all these concerns, but they’re not taken seriously,” her granddaughter said.
The Department of Housing stated it had no record of the complaints but responded within an hour of being notified of the collapse, sending an inspector to ensure safety.
Emergency Response
Despite the danger, Green was forced to spend the night in the damaged building and was only offered emergency accommodation on Friday morning. The mess was cleaned up later that afternoon.
“I like to be home... home is where the heart is,” she said.
Community Recognition
Green has been awarded two Medals of the Order of Australia, inducted into the Aboriginal Education Hall of Fame and WA Women’s Hall of Fame, and was the first person to receive the keys to the City of Wanneroo. Her narrow escape highlights ongoing concerns about housing safety for vulnerable community members.
