Ground Gives Way Causing Huge Collapse At Construction Site In Highlands
DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver family is now allowed back home after the dirt of a future building next door collapsed while under construction.
The collapse happened Friday night at 33rd Avenue and Shoshone Street in the Highlands neighborhood. The family next door had to evacuate and were only allowed to get a few personal items.
The collapse created a hole that's 20 to 30 feet deep. It's also 120 feet by 150 feet in width and length. It was made to prepare the ground for new construction and the concrete for the foundation had not yet been poured.
The family will be warned to not use the doorway on the other side of a fence.
"The moisture that accumulated in the soil caused it to lose some of its stability. Once that collapse started to take place there was a tremendous sound, or bang as what was reported by witnesses," Greg Pixley with the Denver Fire Department said.
"I was amazed at just how dramatic the wall falling in was. It's a very large wall with a lot of rebar -- very heavy. I was glad nobody got hurt," neighbor Chris Williams said.
A neighbor said the construction crew quit for the day just 30 minutes before the collapse.
The area remains a danger zone and Denver Fire is encouraging parents to remind their children to keep out.
"We want to let the dirt actually start to dry out so they can safely put some people into that hole," Pixley said.