Ground shifts, gobbles up cars in Malate

A busted underground water pipe softened the soil near a building under construction in Malate, Manila yesterday, causing a wall to collapse and two parked cars to be swallowed up in the road slip.

Senior Inspector Alberto Peco, of the Manila Police District (MPD) Sta. Monica sub-station, said the ground shift took place at 4:25 p.m. at the construction site of the One Adiatico Place construction site near the Robinson’s Place mall along M. Adriatico street.

A white Mitsubishi L-300 van and a blue Kia Pregio were swallowed up in the road collapse.

Mario Sagum, detachment commander of Robinson’s Place carpark and perimeter area, said that the vehicles sank some five meters into a crater created by the ground shift.

A witness said the collapse happened 10 minutes after they felt a slight tremor.

DM Consunji, which is undertaking the project, said the M. Adriatico portion of a wall around the digging site of One Adriatico Place gave way after a six-inch water pipe beneath a roadway seven meters away from the digging site burst, releasing water that softened the soil and caused the temporary sheet-pile wall to give way.

The construction company said the tower crane, which had been tilting slightly toward the digging area, was brought down without causing any damage.

DM Consunji is now looking at strengthening the base of the digging site and restoring the roadway.

Road closures caused heavy traffic on Taft Avenue, Padre Faura and Pedro Gil streets.

Police had cordoned off the area to prevent pedestrians and vehicles from passing through.

While waiting for the crane to collapse, the ground further weakened and the vehicles fell one foot deeper.

This prompted the MPD to widen the cordoned off area while advising tenants of buildings to vacate because they were unsure in what direction the crane would fall.

Members of the Philippine National Red Cross were also present to render any assistance if necessary.

At around 6:25 p.m., the crane collapsed, landing on M. Adriatico street.

Police said a portion of M. Adriatico, between Pedro Gil and Padre Faura, would be closed to traffic in the next few days until the crane has been removed and they have assessed the safety of the road.