Sidewalk collapses into Victoria construction site

A block of a major Victoria thoroughfare has been closed to traffic after a sidewalk collapsed into an open pit in a construction site.

City of Victoria assistant director of transportation Brad Dellebuur said it happened on Johnston Street near Cook Street late Friday morning.

Dellebuur said about 30 metres of sidewalk on the north side of the street collapsed inward, falling about two-and-a-half feet into the pit below.

Parking signs could be seen poking just above street level at the site.

Dellebuur said that a water main had burst in the area, but that it was too early to say if it was the cause or a consequence of the collapse.

Geotechnical crews were called to the scene to assess the safety of the road, Dellebuur said.

Dellebuur said several trees had been lost, and that some BC Hydro infrastructure was also at risk.

He said water in the area was shut off, but that crews were working to restore it.