Collapsed crane keeps Sydney residents out

It could be days before residents of a high-rise complex in Sydney's south are able to return home as a toppled crane that fell on the building is dismantled.

Several mobile and other cranes have been brought in on Tuesday to remove the crane, which smashed into a top-floor penthouse apartment of the building, crushing the balcony, on Sunday morning.

Dismantling operations are expected to continue until at least Wednesday, a NSW Fire & Rescue spokesman told AAP.

All 160 residents of the near 10 storey apartment complex on Brodie Spark Drive were evacuated when the crane, which firefighters estimate is about 30 metres tall, toppled.

They will be forced to remain in temporary accommodation with contractor Probuild estimating it could take another two to three days to safely dismantle the crane.

On Monday the construction union called for a halt to the use of Cantilever cranes until independent engineers' reports can prove they have been put together correctly.