STELLARTON - A sinkhole that formed early Monday morning got significantly worse Tuesday afternoon.
A section of Foord Street near the Sobeys head office building was closed temporarily Monday after a sinkhole was discovered underneath the street in the northbound lane.
The size of the hole wasn't immediately apparent, as it only broke through a small gap of the asphalt, but at the time town engineer Tony Addis described it as being circular, approximately three to four metres in diameter and about 6 metres deep.
The situation got much worse Tuesday afternoon, prompting Stellarton Police to shut down access to Highway 104 near the Exit 24 on-ramp as public works crews attempted to repair the sinkhole that has now eaten away half of the road and exposed a nearby sewer pipe.
Town employees were using a fire hose to shoot water into the hole to see how far it would sink before they filled it again.
Addis said the hole was probably caused by sub-surface mining. While it's not common, he said, it is not unheard of.
That sinking feeling
That sinking feeling
A sinkhole on Foord Street that was repaired Monday re-opens Tuesday
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Comments
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- janice
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:32:07
For what its worth, my dad was a coal miner for 47 years, working in the Allan Shaft for a number of years along with the many other coal mines in the county, he always said that sink holes would open around the mine site and that Sobeys Head Office was right in the line of fire, once they opened the gas station on pretty much the same property both my uncle and others all said the same thing all built on top of methane gas, what a combination lol.
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- Bob
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:32:03
So....fix it..or move the town of Stellarton to where there are no sink holes??????geesh ppl. like to complain
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- george
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:32:02
just on the funny side of the hole mess, Mr.Addis states from sun-surface mining, my lord ifit was from surface mining the hole would have been there all along. Lol
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- notafanoftossedsalad
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:32:02
the Allan Mine was about 1,000 feet deep in that area wasn't it ? i'd be looking for another cause of that hole unless is was one of the Allan shafts themselves. that road is the same old road though and I doubt there were shafts in the road. blaming the mine is an easy out when there may be another issue
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- Fraser
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:32:00
How did Mr. Addis ever get in charge of town works with that kind of knowledge.Sink holes are commen in this area which is ver much undermined,maybe not on a busy street,but they are everywhere.Westville has had a few, of which opened up under a couple of houses.
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- Marie
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:59
Good thing I didn't go to my brother's place ,he live's on this road, my car would have been in (and I do mean In) that hole.
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- Cheryl
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:56
People have always complained about sink holes :and also,about the mining that is going on now. Complaining to each other or just using it as something to talk about over a cup of coffee does not solve the problem! Either do something about it or give it a rest ; it does not go away by itself! There is big money being made!!! I go to Stellarton every year and I am totally blown away by the mess of Foster Ave. and the total lack of trying to make it look decent!! Why isn't the town doing anything about it?Do you not care? I as an outsider can not believe you would put so much money into making Allan Park nicer(which is quite lovely) on one end of town and allowing that disgraceful mess to go on in the other end of town!! ???
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- anon
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:54
So can I get my Uncle burger tonight or what?
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- George
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:52
Sink holes are common with open pit mines in close proximity. you may the open pit mine is quite a distance from the location of the sink hole but when you pump out old working you never know how far away the water table is effected. Once the water table is lowered in an area you have what is refered to as an hydraulic effect which can travel up for quite a distance.There is a large geothermic reservoir under the north Foord street area including the museum of industry location so possibly there will be more sink holes in the area. I would assume that Sobeys would have had test holes drilled in the area of their office building and they will not be in any risk.
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- anon
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:50
Hole-Y crater Batman!
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- George
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:46
Dinbat just a coincidence that subsidences happen in Westville, Thorburn and stellarton after Poneer coal has been in operation for a number of years. look at the number of residents who lost their well water in Thorburn and that will give you an indication of what open pit mining does to the water table. I know the open pit mine provides but industry has to be made accouintable for so called collateral damage. you do not have to be an engineer or hydrologist know that deep exposed holes can cause drainage of water bodies undergroun and that old mine workings flooded after they close operation. Liquids can not be compressed and thusly act like a solid.
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- george
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:45
Ms Madsen the complaints are a way of doing something about it. If there might be someone in the provincial who may take seriously what peol;e they might look into the situation. mining and enviroment are a provincial responsibility.
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- Don
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:43
I recall in the mid-thirties, there was a circus parade in New Glasgow when an elephant was lost in a sink-hole..... they never did find it!
I'm kidding of course. -
- DingBat
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:42
George,they had sink holes in the back mines/foster avenue area for many years before it was strip mined,don't try and blame it on Pioneer Coal and it's industry,like du'udder fella said,How did Mr.Addis ever get in charge of stellarton works department?The town's history and founding was based upon coal mining and bootleg shallow mines popped up even in residents basements,check it out,there is dozens of households scattered in the town who dug their coal/heat for the winter right in their basement.
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- Uhhhh
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:41
I wonder how many more lame hole jokes can be posted.
Its like a religous experience on Foord St... its awefully Hole-y
Get a hobby people! -
- anon
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:41
Looks like the town has a 'hole' new mess to deal with.
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- T
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:41
Hole-y Moley!!
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- dave
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:38
fix the problem and stop belly achin ppl....
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- JG
- - February 22nd, 2010 at 13:31:36
There was a busted water line in that area about 2 years ago. Sobeys Head Office sent all employees home for the day. Is it possible that maybe a quick fix was done and since then a small leak caused the erosion?
