Sidewalk Collapse on Zhengzhou Road, Taipei; Suspected Pipe Burst, Backfill Expected by 11th

(Central News Agency, reporters Chen Yuting and Liu Jianbang, Taipei, June 10) A sidewalk on Zhengzhou Road in Taipei City collapsed on the morning of the 10th, causing an electrical transformer box on top to shift and fall. The Taipei City Government stated that a preliminary investigation suggests a sewage pipe rupture is the likely cause. Repairs and backfilling will be carried out overnight, with operations expected to be completed by 4 PM tomorrow.

Police and fire departments received a report on the morning of the 10th about a fallen transformer box on Zhengzhou Road, opposite the Zhongxing branch of Taipei City Hospital. Upon arrival, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) found that severe soil loss beneath the road had created a pit approximately 5 meters long and 4 meters wide, causing insufficient support for the transformer foundation and its subsequent collapse. No power outages for general households were reported.

The Taipei City Government issued a press release stating that Mayor Chiang Wan-an learned of the incident during his municipal schedule and immediately dispatched Deputy Mayor Chang Wen-teh to the scene to assess the situation. Chang Wen-teh, in an interview with media at the scene, stated that Taipower would first be asked to relocate the transformer box, followed by inspections and repairs by various utility管线 units. He assured the public that the pit shows no signs of expanding.

Chang Wen-teh noted that the jurisdiction over this location belongs to the Railway Bureau and Taiwan Railway Corporation, and the adjacent area is a Taipei City government-led urban renewal site. However, no construction work is underway at the site except for small-scale cultural heritage exploration and excavation. Inspections and repairs will commence immediately after clarifying the conditions inside the pit.

The city government explained in the afternoon that Taipower has lifted and placed the transformer box in a suitable location. Following the preliminary investigation indicating suspected sewage pipe leakage, the Taipei City Public Works Department's Sewerage Engineering Office will carry out repairs using trenchless technology tonight. Grouting and backfilling of the collapsed area are scheduled to begin during the day tomorrow, with completion expected by 4 PM.

The city government stated that traffic signals along the surrounding route are functioning normally and traffic flow is smooth. Police have deployed additional officers at intersections to manage traffic. However, due to subsequent restoration work, vehicles passing through the area are advised to slow down or detour in advance. Commuters are recommended to avoid this section during peak hours over the next two days.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chen Yi-jun posted on Facebook, urging the city government to actively conduct follow-up monitoring, including ground-penetrating radar inspections, installing inclinometers and settlement observation points in the vicinity, monitoring groundwater level changes, and conducting a thorough safety inspection of the surrounding underground area to detect cavities and erosion before road surface collapse occurs, ensuring public road safety.

Another DPP Taipei City Councilor, Lin Liang-jun, also posted on Facebook, reminding the public to be extra cautious when passing nearby, especially with heavy rain expected in the coming days, and to pay attention to safety when going out. (Editor: Zhang Mingkun) 1150610