The city’s water and sewer manager said a six-inch cast iron pipe from 1912 gave out at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Queen Street.
Caitlin Zintel-Clemas heard a big bang on Thursday evening and temporarily mistook it for thunder.
But when she looked out a window to see asphalt heaving and water gushing down Fourth Avenue North at the corner of Queen Street, she knew better.
City of Saskatoon crews were at the scene on Friday morning; a worker said an “old pipe” had burst under the street. Repairs were underway, with about 10 workers involved.
Zintel-Clemas said what she witnessed from her home four houses down was alarming.
“The asphalt literally came up off the ground,” she said. “The pavement was lifted and water running down the street. And you see that the water was running under the asphalt. When I stepped on it, it was moving like a waterbed.”
While it was encouraging to see the work being done on Friday morning, she fears there might be a larger problem under that pavement, she said.
“I don’t want to lose my car in a sinkhole.”
The intersection was closed for the unplanned repairs and detours were in place.
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