Photos show huge sinkhole to open up beneath Welsh social club
Dramatic photos show huge sinkhole to open up beneath popular Welsh social club – that started off as ‘just a little hole’ in the tarmac
- Customers may have to wait for a maximum of 18 months before they can resume using the social club.
Dramatic photos show a huge sink hole which opened up beneath the popular Swansea social club earlier this year, that started off as a ‘little hole’ in the carpark.
The photos show the cavernous crater where the ground opened up in a car park just outside of the Cwmfelin Social Club, surrounded by cracks in the concrete and diligently fenced off.
Other rubble-strewn images show the ‘deep excavation work’ taking place outside a 19th century church, after water from a collapsed culvert in the sink hole entered into the system run by Welsh Water, damaging sewers.
The pipe underneath Heol y Gors in Swansea, South Wales burst due to heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday nights, overwhelming the system.
Last year, a small hole emerged which eventually led to the collapse of a section of the ground outside Cwmfelin Social Club on August 31. This incident resulted in significant damage to both the club and its carpark.
Club secretary Michael Kennedy said it began as a small hole in the tarmac but after recent downpours it grew – with cracks eventually forming – before the toilets ‘caved in’.
It was initially believed the historic, 76-year-old club would only need to close for a few weeks while repairs took place, bHowever, the extent of the damage to the building was greater than expected.
On August 31, a sinkhole appeared when a section of the ground outside Cwmfelin Social Club collapsed, resulting in significant harm to both the club and its parking area.
The temporary filling of the hole did not last, and it has resurfaced again due to the rainy weather. It is reported to be extremely deep, making it impossible to see the bottom.
The club’s managers state that it will be approximately one to one and a half years before they can reopen and welcome customers again.
‘Deep excavation work’ is taking place much further along Approach Road, on the land where Libanus Chapel once stood, an 19th century place of worship which was the victim of a suspected early morning arson attack back in 2012.
Following a significant amount of rain in the region, water from a culvert that had collapsed in the sinkhole made its way into a Welsh Water-operated system, resulting in the bursting of a pipe beneath Heol y Gors.
A Welsh Water spokesman said: ‘Following damage caused to our sewer by the sink hole at Cwmfelin Social Club last week, our teams have been working hard to reconfigure the system in the area.
There has been no disruption to customers’ wastewater services and the impact on the local environment has been minimized.
“We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the closure of the road, which was necessary to ensure the safety of motorists.”
Following a significant amount of rain in the region, water from a culvert that had collapsed in the sinkhole infiltrated a Welsh Water-operated system, resulting in the bursting of a pipe beneath Heol y Gors.
The leaders of a social club are concerned that it may need to remain closed for a period of 18 months due to a sinkhole that has engulfed its toilets.
The club, which is shown in the picture, was expected to temporarily shut down for a short period of time, estimated to be a few weeks, in order to carry out necessary repairs.
We are still in communication with Swansea Council and the owners of the land to find a more lasting solution for our sewer pipe.
Mr. Kennedy, the club secretary, mentioned that the issue began in January 2022 when a tiny hole appeared in the carpark. We promptly informed the insurance company about it, but unfortunately, the situation has been progressively deteriorating.
However, in the previous month, due to the adverse weather conditions, the situation escalated significantly as substantial cracks appeared and caused the toilets to collapse.
The collapsed culvert beneath the club poses a safety concern as there is now a hole approximately 10 meters deep.
“We temporarily filled the hole, but it has resurfaced again due to the recent rain. It is now quite deep, making it difficult to see the bottom.”
