The subway safety risk monitoring system issued an early warning immediately. The subway company promptly organized an emergency rescue team to the site and mobilized Atlas drilling rigs and grouting machines for emergency plugging. Currently, the danger has been basically brought under control. The cause of the water inrush at the foundation pit is under investigation. The Dadao area is near the Min River, and the underground is a highly permeable sand layer, suspected to have encountered an underground river.
Fuzhou Metro Company: Subway construction suspected to have encountered an underground river; danger brought under control yesterday



Around 18:30 yesterday, on Fuzhou's normally "busy" Dadao Road, no vehicles were seen, and police had imposed temporary traffic control at both ends of the intersection. By the roadside, many people were discussing the potholed road surface in front of them: "Did subway construction cause the road to collapse?"

In response, a reporter from Southeast Express learned yesterday from Fuzhou Metro Company that the sudden temporary control of this road section was due to a sudden water inrush from the underground diaphragm wall of part of the foundation pit of the subway command and control center construction site near Dadao Road. However, the danger has been basically brought under control.

To facilitate emergency repairs, Dadao Road will be closed to motor vehicles starting today, and the reopening time is uncertain.

On-site

Subsidence appeared on part of the road; staff are detecting voids

Yesterday evening, the reporter saw at both ends of Dadao Road that the two intersections were blocked by police with municipal maintenance barriers, and auxiliary staff were persuading vehicles to detour.

However, the sudden barriers caused difficulties for many commuters and students without cars. At the City First Hospital bus stop, many citizens, unaware of the temporary traffic control on Dadao Road, were still waiting for buses.

"Fifteen minutes ago, the bus was 0.39 kilometers away from me, and it still hasn't arrived," a student said, looking anxious at the app on their phone. Another citizen who had waited for more than half an hour said, "The bus I took this morning didn't follow the usual route past here but detoured. I thought the driver just thought it was congested here."

Seeing these persistent bus waiters, a helpful nearby resident couldn't resist stepping forward to remind them: "Subway work here dug out a round opening more than 40 centimeters in diameter, and groundwater keeps gushing out. The road ahead has collapsed. Traffic control started this morning, and vehicles have not been allowed through today."

As the helpful person said, the reporter saw that one side of a nearly 400-meter section of Dadao Road (near the Bayiqi South Road end) had been fenced off, and half of the road surface had been dug open by an excavator. This side of the road showed varying degrees of subsidence and depression. Several workers were laying cables inside the barrier. They said that underground seepage caused by subway construction had created certain problems on this side of the road, and they were currently using relevant technical equipment to detect whether there were voids underground.

Authorities

Sudden water inrush in foundation pit suspected to have encountered underground river

Regarding the matter, a relevant person from Fuzhou Metro Company said that at 3:18 a.m. on the 22nd, a sudden water inrush occurred in part of the underground diaphragm wall of the foundation pit of the Fuzhou Metro Command and Control Center construction site near Dadao Road, which is being built by China MCC5 Group Co., Ltd.

The subway safety risk monitoring system issued an early warning immediately. The metro company promptly organized an emergency rescue team to the site and mobilized Atlas drilling rigs and grouting machines for emergency plugging. To provide access for the rescue, police imposed temporary control on part of Dadao Road and directed traffic on site. Relevant departments such as Fuzhou electric power, gas, and water supply also cooperated in the rescue at the scene.

Currently, the danger has been basically brought under control. The cause of the water inrush at the foundation pit is under investigation. The Dadao area is near the Min River, and the underground is a highly permeable sand layer, suspected to have encountered an underground river.

Meanwhile, during the construction of the subway command and control center, heavy vehicles transporting muck and building materials frequently entered and exited the site, causing road surface damage and the beginning of subsidence. This emergency repair will also address these issues.

Control information

Reopening time uncertain; drivers can detour via Taijiang Road

Yesterday afternoon, the reporter also learned from the police that at around 8 a.m. yesterday, after receiving the notice of temporary control, the Taijiang police immediately activated an emergency plan.

During the control period, the Taijiang Traffic Patrol Police Brigade and local police stations dispatched officers to set up warning signs at both ends of the road to remind passing vehicles, and arranged motorcycle police and auxiliary staff to persuade drivers. Due to the temporary closure, vehicles waiting to turn, U-turn, and go straight converged, causing traffic chaos at the scene, and traffic was once backed up during the morning rush hour. Traffic basically returned to normal only after 10 a.m.

It is understood that the construction team is currently inspecting and repairing, but it is not yet certain how long it will take to complete and reopen the road. Police remind that before construction is completed, temporary traffic control will be implemented on Dadao Road (from the intersection with Wuyi South Road in the east to the intersection with Bayiqi South Road in the west), and motor vehicles are prohibited. During the control period, pedestrians and non-motor vehicles may pass as usual.

According to the police, the most affected location after the control is the entrance and exit of Fuzhou First Hospital. Police will also deploy additional officers today to strengthen traffic direction nearby. Police suggest that citizens try to use public transportation when passing through the Dadao Road area. Those who need to drive can detour via Taijiang Road and other routes, avoiding Wuyi Road, which may become a traffic bottleneck.