Tanker in sinkhole: Date set for delicate work to remove vehicle close to Shrewsbury's sewage system
The county council has confirmed that a tanker which fell through a "sinkhole" while cleaning a towpath in Shrewsbury is due to be recovered tomorrow morning.
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Once the tanker, which sits delicately close to key part of the town's sewer system near the town's weir, is completed the local water company is due to continue its work.
A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said: "Work to recover the vehicle is due to start tomorrow morning and be completed by the end of the day.
"Once the vehicle recovery is complete Severn Trent will take possession of the site to continue their work."
The tanker fell into the hole and became stuck while cleaning a towpath near the weir on Monday evening.
John Bellis, Shropshire Council's flood risk manager, had said that operatives had been using a jet wash to remove silt when it dropped into a sinkhole.
He added that it is in "a difficult location, because we've got quite a few Severn Trent water assets running in this location".
They did not know whether the sewers or the river had created the sinkhole.
A Shropshire Council spokesman added: "Late yesterday afternoon, a council-operated jetting unit, working at the car park near the River Severn Weir drove over an unknown void approx 4M X 3M X 2.5M deep.
"The ground gave way, and the rear axle, four rear tyres and wheels entered the void. Further slippage was prevented because of the extended rear chassis frame which caught more solid ground. A temporary perimeter site has been created leaving no access to the public toilets or the concrete River Severn path.
"Beneath the area sits complex Severn Trent water and drainage assets including the main sewer for Shrewsbury and various specialist tanks and valves. The fact that this is all about 1 metre from the river makes the risk analysis more complex.
"We believe the vehicle may need to be lifted as well as towed and given the complexity of the underground water and drainage assets, this may need to be a lift from the road, rather than from the car park itself," he continued.
"It is very likely adjacent roads will need to be closed and parking restrictions imposed to allow specialist equipment in alongside a safe working area."
