This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8348066.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Road collapsing in city centre | Road collapsing in city centre |
| (20 minutes 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. |
| The depression in the road is above a storm-water tunnel in the multi-million pound Belfast Sewers Project. | |
| Work has been ongoing since 2005 on constructing a six-mile network of tunnels running underneath the city. | |
| The key junction in the sewerage network is located at Cromac Street, in the area of the collapsed road. | |
| Investigators have begun examining what caused the collapse and the safest way to fix the road. | |
| Diversions | |
| In a statement, NI Water said staff were "working closely with other utilities to secure the site". | |
| 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." |
| Cromac Street has been closed at its junction with East Bridge Street, and number of road diversions have been put in place. | |
| Metro bus services are being diverted onto Ormeau Avenue and Linenhall Street, with Ulsterbus services travelling via the Short Strand and Queens Bridge. | Metro bus services are being diverted onto Ormeau Avenue and Linenhall Street, with Ulsterbus services travelling via the Short Strand and Queens Bridge. |