Sewer line collapses in St. Paul

The Associated Press
St. Paul, Minn.
Sewer line collapse
Warning tape and barriers surround a sinkhole after a sewer line collapsed at Johnson Parkway and Phalen Boulevard in St. Paul, Minn. on Friday, May 9, 2014. The intersection will be closed until further notice, and detours will likely last for several days at the major intersection.
Jean Pieri/AP via St. Paul Pioneer Press

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A sewer line collapse has closed a major St. Paul intersection.

A giant crater opened alongside the road when the line collapsed Friday morning.

The collapse happened at the intersection of Johnson Parkway and Phalen Boulevard. The sinkhole is an estimated 25 feet across and 25 feet deep.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the busy intersection will be shut down for several days. The site is just north of the Hmong Village shopping plaza, a popular weekend destination.

No one was hurt during the collapse. The sewer line is operated by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services.

A spokesman for Metropolitan Council Environmental Services says it's too soon to tell what exactly caused the sinkhole but says it was likely natural corrosion of the concrete sewer.

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