A retaining wall collapsed around 8 a.m. at the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Fort Street. Photo courtesy Twitter/Victoria Police.
Traffic is closed heading eastbound on Oak Bay Avenue after a retaining wall came down Tuesday morning.
The incident happened at the corner of Oak Bay Avenue and Fort Street around 8 a.m.
Search dog Cassie from the Vancouver Island Search Dog Association scours the rubble of a collapsed rock retaining wall in Victoria on Fort St. No one is thought to have been buried in the incident and the search is precautionary. pic.twitter.com/iyoArsFmFr
— Mike McArthur (@vancbcmcarthur) December 19, 2017
A bus stop was buried in the collapse of the 10ft tall rock retaining wall on Oak Bay Av. A section about 40 feet long fell leaving a building perched at the top. Oak Bay Av. eastbound is closed at Fort St. pic.twitter.com/yvxhOAK8WG
— Mike McArthur (@vancbcmcarthur) December 19, 2017
Correction- Cassie and her handler Valerie Berben are with the Vancouver Island Search and Disaster Dogs Association of Canada.
— Mike McArthur (@vancbcmcarthur) December 19, 2017
Wasn't a MVI but rather a retaining wall that has collapsed. We're working with @CityOfVictoria and @VictoriaFire730 Traffic is closed Eastbound on Oak Bay Ave #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/hsjDCNYO8Y
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) December 19, 2017
Traffic closed eastbound on #oakbay ave due to retaining wall collapse. Please clean debris from storm drains near you. https://t.co/XanNjhEU6L
— Oak Bay Police (@OakBayPolice) December 19, 2017
The roughly two-metre-high-wall previously extended in front of a three-storey walk-up building on Oak Bay Avenue at the junction with Fort Street and Pandora Avenue.
Victoria police are at the scene working with City of Victoria staff and the Victoria Fire Department. The roughly two-metre-high-wall previously extended in front of a three-storey walk-up building on Oak Bay Avenue at the junction with Fort Street and Pandora Avenue. A Victoria police dog was used to ensure no one was trapped under the debris.
Search dog Cassie from the Vancouver Island Search Dog Association scours the rubble of a collapsed rock retaining wall in Victoria on Fort St. No one is thought to have been buried in the incident and the search is precautionary. pic.twitter.com/iyoArsFmFr
— Mike McArthur (@vancbcmcarthur) December 19, 2017
By Tuesday afternoon, the City of Victoria said geotechnical engineers have determined that it’s safe to remove the collapsed wall debris from the sidewalk and roadway. Residents can return home and the debris is being cleared.
Engineers will be monitoring the part of the retaining wall that did not collapse. The BC Transit bus stop that was located where the wall collapsed will be temporarily relocated.
Police said Oak Bay Avenue eastbound will be closed for one to two days.
With files from CBC
Andy Neal
