Pavement cracking was ‘terrifying’

A MUM said she was “terrified” when the pavement below her cracked as she was waiting for a bus with her daughter.

Rachael Lawrence, 41, from Penylan in Cardiff, was going to the Royal Infirmary Hospital with her four-year-old daughter Evelyn yesterday at around 9.30am.

As they stood on Newport Road outside The Gym, Rachael said she saw the floor crack and smoke beginning to emerge.

Rachael said: “All of a sudden the floor just cracked and looked like someone had lifted it up.

“There was also smoke coming out and the pavement moved about two foot in the air.

“I had my baby girl and we thought it was an earthquake.

“We could feel it underground. It happened underneath where I was standing.

“I thought the floor was going to disappear into the crack. I was in so much panic. “My daughter is still in shock. “I was terrified. It was one of the most frightening things I’ve ever been through.”

Western Power Distribution confirmed there was an electrical cable fault in that area at around the same time, but couldn’t confirm the exact location.

A spokesman said about 2,400 homes in the Llanrumney and Roath areas experienced a power cut, but that power was restored within 40 minutes.

He said engineers would be damage and fixing the cable.

Cardiff council said it was a matter for Western Power Distribution to comment on. fixing