OTTAWA — A gaping hole has opened up in a busy downtown thoroughfare just blocks from Parliament Hill.
Police say 911 calls started coming in at mid-morning and they have been blocking off streets surrounding the cave-in at the corner of Rideau St. and Sussex Drive.
The van on Rideau Street is now under water #ottnews #sinkhole pic.twitter.com/l6Gk5WjM2s
— CTV Ottawa (@ctvottawa) June 8, 2016
"You could see the hole developing. When I got up higher, you could look down into the hole and see the water rising in the hole and the street collapsing into the hole,” One witness told.
No injuries have been reported, although a taxi van is believed to have been swallowed up by the sinkhole, which television footage shows was full of water from a broken water main.
The city says nearby buildings have been evacuated because of the smell of gas.
Guys I just saw a car get sucked into the sinkhole #ottawasinkhole #sinkhole #ottawa pic.twitter.com/7YyaHpzudr
— Anne-Sophie Alarie (@_Sophster) June 8, 2016
Water service in the area has been cut and traffic has been re-routed.
The road itself had been limited to bus and taxi traffic only since last summer due to road and subway construction.
Nearby buildings have been evacuated due to the smell of gas. Please follow instructions from building management https://t.co/YYMTGAkYtv
— City of Ottawa (@ottawacity) June 8, 2016
This is the second sinkhole to open up in downtown Ottawa in recent years.
This is the second sinkhole to open up in the downtown in recent years.
In 2014, another road just a few blocks away collapsed. Officials blamed it on unexpected soil conditions encountered during a tunnelling operation.
MORE National ARTICLES
Former House Of Commons Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers Grabs Protester At Dublin Commemoration
Kevin Vickers, the former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, tackled a protester Thursday in Dublin during a ceremony to remember British soldiers killed in the 1916 Easter Rising.
Former House Of Commons Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers Grabs Protester At Dublin Commemoration
Smoking Bans On Patios: The Picture Across The Country
Quebec smokers will no longer be able to indulge on bar and restaurant patios as of Thursday
Smoking Bans On Patios: The Picture Across The Country
Options Available For Reporting Political Donations: B.C. Electoral Officer
British Columbia's chief electoral officer is recommending three options for revamping how political contributions are reported amid criticism aimed at Premier Christy Clark over high-priced fundraising events.
Options Available For Reporting Political Donations: B.C. Electoral Officer
Wildlife Officers Trapping Bears After Stinky Trash In Fire-Damaged Fort McMurray
Wildlife officers in Fort McMurray have killed two black bears and captured and relocated two others that were roaming in and around the fire-damaged city.
Wildlife Officers Trapping Bears After Stinky Trash In Fire-Damaged Fort McMurray
UNB Seeks Review Of Discrimination Ruling In Women's Hockey Complaint
The University of New Brunswick is seeking a judicial review of a Labour and Employment Board ruling in March that ordered UNB to reinstate its women's varsity hockey team.
UNB Seeks Review Of Discrimination Ruling In Women's Hockey Complaint
Military Names Canadian Soldier Who Dies During Training Run In New Brunswick
FREDERICTON — The Canadian Armed Forces has identified a soldier who died while on a unit run near the Gagetown base in New Brunswick.