Ottawa Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Heart Of Downtown
A water main break caused the giant chasm to open up on Rideau Street, steps away from Parliament Hill.
Jessica Chin— The Huffington Post Canada
A massive sinkhole in the heart of downtown Ottawa has snarled traffic, prompted evacuations, and swallowed a minivan.
A water main break caused the giant chasm to open up Wednesday morning on Rideau Street near Sussex Drive, outside the Rideau Centre mall and steps away from Parliament Hill.
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Burt Blaisdell, a site superintendent who is working on new store in the Rideau Centre mall, said he and his crew left quickly once the bells to evacuate the building started sounding.
"It's a normal fire alarm came up to evacuate. They never said why," Blaisdell told The Huffington Post Canada.
He was allowed to back in to get the workers' keys and wallets, but wasn't permitted to stay more than 10 minutes inside the building.
"They are lucky that someone didn't get hurt. Guys were working there," Blaisdell said.
CTV Ottawa tweeted that a minivan swallowed up by the sinkhole is now under water.
The water main break also caused a gas leak in the mall and the adjacent Westin Hotel, which were evacuated Wednesday morning, according to the National Post.
Twitter users wasted no time in making jokes about the sinkhole.
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(01 of08)
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A water main break caused a giant sinkhole to open up June 8, 2016 on Rideau Street near Sussex Drive, outside the Rideau Centre mall and steps away from Parliament Hill. (credit:Mitch McEwen/Twitter)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(02 of08)
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People are evacuated from the Shaw Centre, Rideau Centre mall and Westin hotel after a large sinkhole formed on Rideau Street. (credit:Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(03 of08)
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View of the sinkhole from the nearby Milestone's restaurant. (credit:Tim Bouma/Twitter)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(04 of08)
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Reporters and news teams gather near the Rideau Street sinkhole. (credit:Tim Bouma/Twitter)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(05 of08)
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First responders look at a large sinkhole that formed on Rideau Street. (credit:Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(06 of08)
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Firefighters work next to a large sinkhole that formed on Rideau Street next to the Rideau Centre mall. (credit:Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(07 of08)
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Roadway asphalt and building materials from an adjacent construction site fall into a large sinkhole that formed on Rideau Street. (credit:Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Rideau Street In Ottawa(08 of08)
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The snarled traffic, prompted evacuations, and swallowed a minivan. (credit:Valerie Crew/Twitter)
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