Early on June 21st, a massive road collapse occurred near Jinli West Road in the Wuhou District of Chengdu, Sichuan, where Line 13 of the metro system is under construction. The collapse resulted in a huge sinkhole. Official sources claimed that there was no immediate threat to the nearby buildings, but the public has expressed doubts regarding the official statements.
This incident quickly became a hot topic on social media platforms in mainland China. Reports surfaced on the morning of June 21st stating that a construction site for Line 13 of the Chengdu metro system had collapsed, revealing a large void.
Videos and images circulating online show a large sinkhole on a road when viewed from above, with residential buildings flanking the collapsed area.
According to a report by Da Wan News, information from the Chengdu municipal government indicated that the road surface at the construction site of Line 13 collapsed around 3 a.m. on the 21st, causing no casualties.
Authorities stated that after preliminary assessments, they believed that there was no imminent danger to the surrounding structures.
However, Chinese netizens voiced skepticism in the comments section. Some remarks included, “There will definitely be an impact on the surrounding areas. They won’t let us know the truth,” and “The buildings on both sides will gradually sink.”
The official Weibo account of Chengdu Rail Transit Development announced that at 3:50 a.m. on the 21st, two water pipes buried about 2 meters deep outside the construction pit of the Chengdu Rail Transit Line 13 Xiaonan Street Station, under construction by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, burst, leading to a collapse in Jinli West Road near house number 119 for about 12 meters. The road has been closed off, and no injuries were reported at the scene.
A local business owner near the site told Xiaoxiang Morning News, “The collapse is tens of meters away from my store. I rushed to check, and currently water supply is cut off in the shop. I heard that nearby residents have been evacuated, and the collapsed area has been cordoned off. The road is closed to traffic now.” Another business owner also mentioned a lack of water supply in their shop.
Previous reports by local media detailed that Phase 1 of Line 13 of the Chengdu metro system traverses multiple districts including Qingyang, Jinjiang, and Longquanyi, with a majority of stations passing through the city center. The affected Xiaonan Street Station is located under Jinli West Road, a main road with heavy traffic flow. The construction method used involves excavating half of the pit under the main road and covering it with reinforced concrete slabs for vehicular passage while excavating the other side concurrently, forming a unique operating surface.