A mysterious incident involving a loud bang from a ceiling panel forced the temporary relocation of staff at a Canberra government office earlier this year, with internal emails revealing ongoing concerns about building safety.
The Initial Incident
On July 11, 2025, staff at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and Arts office on Alinga Street in Civic reported hearing a loud bang from a ceiling panel followed by dust falling from above. The incident occurred above desk A.1.249, prompting immediate safety measures.
According to internal emails obtained under freedom of information laws, staff quickly secured the area by relocating the employee sitting at the affected desk and placing a table underneath the suspicious ceiling panel. A building manager inspected the office at 111 Alinga Street the following day but found no further visible damage.
Ongoing Safety Concerns
The mystery deepened when the department heavily redacted internal emails discussing the incident, removing any mention of what actually caused the loud bang. One email noted with relief that "fortunately [redacted] didn't crash through on the people sitting below", while another staff member queried: "Can you please confirm that the initial incident was due to a [redacted]?"
While only two staff members were initially relocated, access to seven desks near the affected area was completely removed on July 17. The situation escalated when, nearly two weeks after the original incident, staff reported hearing "the sounds of pebbles falling onto the ceiling" in the same area.
This prompted the relocation of 24 staff members while investigations continued. The pebble sounds were later attributed to plumbers working on balcony water leaks who cleared PVC pipes, causing gravel to travel down them.
Staff Frustration and Building Issues
By mid-August, the department had been dealing with the saga for over a month, and staff frustration was mounting. Internal communications revealed dissatisfaction with how the property division was handling the situation and communicating with employees.
One staff member wrote to an assistant secretary expressing concerns about the "apparent lack of communication with staff from property [division]" and described the department's official response as "rather abysmal".
The building issues weren't entirely unexpected. Public Eye had reported in August that the department was dealing with minor building problems at the Alinga Street office, which it's scheduled to vacate in 2026. A building spokesperson had previously mentioned issues including a minor leak, a minor concrete defect, and suspended concrete following air conditioning installation.
Following an extensive review of all ceiling spaces in the building, the landlord decided to undertake rectification works in mid-August. The department arranged for a structural engineer to conduct further inspections, though the emails provided little clarity on what actually caused the original loud bang.
The department cited business information exemptions for its extensive redactions in the released documents, leaving the core mystery of what went "bang" in the ceiling largely unresolved.
