S.F. sinkhole may have been caused by water main break
City officials are investigating whether a water main break caused the sinkhole that opened up in downtown San Francisco on Tuesday night, sending a motorcyclist to the hospital, forcing traffic detours, snarling Muni routes and shutting down the California line of the cable car, according to city officials.
“An 8-inch gate valve failed on a water main,” John Coté, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, said Thursday afternoon. But it is unclear whether that caused the sinkhole, he added.
The intersection of California and Montgomery streets was reopened after repairs were completed Wednesday night, Coté said.
The sinkhole was discovered after a motorcyclist hit it about 7 p.m. The motorcyclist was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, an Fire Department spokesperson told the Chronicle.
The victim’s condition was not known Thursday.
The sinkhole came on a rainy day in which the city received less than an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
Shortly after 9 p.m., firefighters said a pipe located where the sinkhole formed had been isolated and shut down by the Department of Public Works.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said Wednesday it was suspending cable car service on the California line for the remainder of the night, adding that they “do not anticipate” any bus shuttle service on that line. It was unclear if the California line would resume service on Thursday. Spokespeople from the agency did not respond to requests for an update.