‘Like an earthquake’: Single mum Dawn Paterson and her 4 children left homeless after ceiling collapses

A single mother and her four children have been left homeless after their ceiling collapsed following a bout of wind and rain. The ceiling of a home in Tapping, Perth, collapsed over the dining room table on Thursday following heavy wind and rain. The family had been eating dinner in the same spot a mere hours before. Mother Dawn Paterson said the damage was so severe it looked like an “earthquake had hit”. “I just couldn’t believe the damage, I’m in shock,” she told 9News. “It looked like an earthquake had hit and honestly I didn’t know what to do. At 4am, who do you call?” There were reportedly no structural issues with the 2006 home following a report after she bought the place just three years ago. “There wasn’t any indication or warning signs that this would happen,” she said. It remains unclear whether the damage is covered by insurance, with Ms Paterson needing to find somewhere else to stay in the meantime. Following the ordeal, Ms Paterson encouraged others to double check the safety of their homes. “I would urge people to really have a good look at their ceilings to make sure they are intact and safe,” she said. “Safety is priority when you have children and I thought we were.”