Ottawa buries van in tons of cement at Rideau sinkhole

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Ottawa mayor Jim Watson has confirmed that the van seen tumbling into the giant sinkhole (see video) on Rideau Street yesterday has now been buried in tons of cement. The unfortunate locksmith parked his vehicle in just the wrong spot. Now his van, fuel and all, is gone forever. Maybe he’s lucky he did not go in with the van. He had asked to try to move it but it was determined to be too dangerous. Moments later, it tumbled into the sinkhole. Police said it could not be retrieved because equipment needed to lift it out would have collapsed the sides of the sinkhole. Overnight. dozens of trucks started pulling up to the edge of the hole to dump 2,700 cubic metres of cement into the hole in an effort to stabilize it. Other crews worked to pump water out. Mayor Watson tweeted about the efforts as they unfolded. here is still no word on what caused the crater to open, but there are a few strong theories now being floated – including soft soil in the area and construction deep below the street linked to the capital’s new light-rail transit system. Previous