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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Road collapsing in city centre | Road collapsing in city centre |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A road in Belfast city centre has begun collapsing into a large hole. | A road in Belfast city centre has begun collapsing into a large hole. |
| The hole at Cromac Street in the city centre was discovered early on Saturday. It is thought it will take days to repair. | The hole at Cromac Street in the city centre was discovered early on Saturday. It is thought it will take days to repair. |
| The tarmac on the road is still intact but it has begun tearing, and engineers believe a hole of about 15 square metres could emerge. | The tarmac on the road is still intact but it has begun tearing, and engineers believe a hole of about 15 square metres could emerge. |
| Roads Service officials have begun an investigation into what caused the collapse and the safest way to fix it. | Roads Service officials have begun an investigation into what caused the collapse and the safest way to fix it. |
| Cromac Street has been closed at its junction with East Bridge Street. | Cromac Street has been closed at its junction with East Bridge Street. |
| The tarmac on the road began tearing up on Saturday morning | The tarmac on the road began tearing up on Saturday morning |
| Roads Service spokesman Colin Brown said the city is built upon a deposit of soft clay, silt and mud known as "Belfast Sleech". | Roads Service spokesman Colin Brown said the city is built upon a deposit of soft clay, silt and mud known as "Belfast Sleech". |
| "Periodically we can get voids forming under the roads," he said. | "Periodically we can get voids forming under the roads," he said. |
| "Sometimes it's very clear what has caused it, other times it's quite a mystery. | "Sometimes it's very clear what has caused it, other times it's quite a mystery. |
| "It could be a substantial hole in the road but we'll know more later." | "It could be a substantial hole in the road but we'll know more later." |
| Metro bus services are being diverted onto Ormeau Avenue and Linenhall Street, with Ulsterbus services travelling via the Short Strand and Queens Bridge. | |
| A number of road diversions have also been put in place. |