Large crack appears in Raleigh lot
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Raleigh firefighters were called to a business parking lot Thursday morning after someone discovered a large crack in the asphalt, causing part of the lot to cave in.Raleigh firefighters were called to an office building parking lot Thursday morning after an employee discovered a large crack in the asphalt, causing part of the lot to cave in. The building's owner said rain may be to blame.
Emergency responders taped off the back corner of the lot outside the Manpower building at 1122 Oberlin Rd. They told ABC11 the crack was about 4 to 6 inches wide and 80 feet long when they responded just after 9 a.m.
It didn't pose enough of a risk for authorities to evacuate the office building. It's home to several tenants including First Tennessee Bank.
Police tape also stretched across the parking lot below on the opposite side of a large retaining wall.
One of the building's owners, Zach Clayton, who's also CEO of Raleigh-based Three Ships, said he met with more than a dozen engineers and contractors throughout the day. He said engineers ran a camera down a storm drain and found water was building up underneath the parking lot, causing the ground to swell, and creating the large crack.
Clayton said the office building, which he and other investors bought in December, sits on a separate foundation that runs much deeper into the ground.
In the short term, Clayton said he was most concerned about maintaining the size of the crack. He said tarps would be put out Thursday evening to keep the rain off the parking lot. Within 48 hours, he expects to have construction crews ripping up the lot and building a new one.
