Workers reinforce cracked Montreal tunnel as downtown, Mtro closures continue

A seven-block perimeter of downtown Montreal remained cordoned off Saturday and part of a subway line remained closed as workers installed a series of posts to reinforce a cracked tunnel.

Problems were firstspotted around 1:30 p.m. ET Friday, when employees working in the basement of the landmark Bay department store on Maisonneuve Boulevard noticed water leaking from the ceiling, which haddropped a few centimetres.

Authorities emptied buildings and sealed off a large section of the downtown core, as well as cancellingservice on part of one subway line after the fissure and a second onewere discovered inthe tunnel linking the McGill Mtro station to malls.

On Saturday, city officials told reporters that about 1,000 posts were being erected to support a slab of concrete, which has two cracks extending the length of a city block.

Montreal Mayor Grald Tremblay said the security perimeter would remain and no cars would be allowed to enter the area until authorities feel certain the 40-year-old structure is safe.

Several hundred people were forced to leave the Bay and the McGill station was shut down as a precaution, causing commuter and traffic hassles.

The tunnel, running between Aylmer Street and Union Avenue, was at risk of collapsing, officials said.

The Mtro's Green line between Berri-UQAM and Lionel-Groulx stations will be closed at least until Monday, transit officials say. They're encouraging people to use the Orange line.