Da Nang City Vice Chairman Le Quang Nam on 4/12, ordered SIH Real Estate Co., Ltd. and the contractor for the Capital Square 3 project to immediately halt all construction near Nguyen Cong Tru street, An Hai ward, where a significant subsidence recently occurred.

The incident, which occurred around 14h10 on 3/12, saw a section of Nguyen Cong Tru road, between the Ngo Quyen and Tran Hung Dao intersections, suddenly collapse. The resulting sinkhole measured approximately 15 m long and 6 m wide. Two automobiles parked nearby fell in, and an engineer inspecting a retaining wall suffered a leg injury. The underground drainage pipe also fractured. Immediately after, the investor and construction unit secured the area with barricades.

The Department of Construction stated that the Capital Square 3 project was conducting underground work. A critical issue was the retaining wall near Nguyen Cong Tru road being compromised. Heavy rains then caused sand to flow into the foundation pit, eroding the roadbed and fracturing the stormwater drainage pipe. Water from the broken pipe further eroded the soil, leading to the collapse of the road surface and underlying infrastructure, which directly formed the sinkhole.

Homes, a medium-voltage power pole, and other structures surround the sinkhole area. Photo: Nguyen Dong

Authorities have instructed the project investor to promptly implement safety measures for residents and nearby properties. The contractor, supervisory body, and other relevant units must inspect all retaining wall systems and adjacent structures to mitigate safety risks, particularly near Ngo Quyen and Nguyen Cong Tru streets, which host a medium-voltage power pole and traffic lights.

The investor is also required to submit a written report to the An Hai Ward People's Committee and the Department of Construction by 6/12, detailing the incident's progression, project status, extent of damage, identified causes, and proposed corrective actions.

Additionally, Vice Chairman Le Quang Nam directed the Da Nang Power Company to inspect the power grid in the at-risk area and collaborate with the investor to reinforce the power pole, ensuring operational safety. The An Hai Ward People's Committee is responsible for overseeing the investor's remediation, maintaining public order, managing traffic, and providing a progress report to the city by 7/12. The Department of Construction will offer technical assistance, deploy barricades, reroute traffic, and advise on further actions.

Nguyen Dong