Speed Street was closed this morning as city sewer department crews began repairs to a broken storm sewer line that created a sinkhole in the street near the intersection of Speed and Pearl Street.

The city Tuesday afternoon closed the westbound lane of Speed after a Waste Management garbage truck fell into the hole caused by the collapsed, century old drainage line.

The truck fell into the hole at about 11:30 a.m., landing on top of an 8-inch water line and a 6-inch gas line, said Carl Harris, the city’s road supervisor.

Public Works Director Garnet Van Norman said the clay drainage line “is 100-plus years old.”

Neither active utility line was damaged.

After a tow truck used a winch to lift

the garbage truck from the 6-foot wide, 8-foot deep hole, the driver was able to continue his garbage route.

“We’re very grateful there weren’t any injuries,” said North Ward Alderman Michael Mayfield.

Vicksburg firefighters monitored the extraction process to ensure the gas line did not ignite.

The Waste Management truck weighs 34,000 pounds empty, and company officials estimated it was hauling 9 tons of garbage when it fell into the sinkhole.

City workers began clearing the hole about 2 p.m. Tuesday and the westbound lane of Speed Street is to remain closed for days.

Mayfield said the city was working to assess areas where sinkholes might occur.

“We try to make sure we stay aware of any sink holes in the road,” Mayfield said.

Anyone who notices a sinkhole in a roadway is encouraged to call the city’s action line at 601-636-3411or 911 immediately.

“Any time, day or night, they’ll get someone out,” Mayfield said.

The hole is the latest in a series of problems affecting the city’s storm drain and sewer systems, parts of which date back to just after the Civil War.

The Board of Mayor and Alderman earlier this year hired a contractor to repair a broken storm drain at the intersection of Clay and Locust streets.

In 2013, contractors hired by the city to repair a damaged sewer line at the intersection of Bowmar Avenue and Letitia Street removed the pavement to find a 10-foot deep cavern where the soil under the street had been sucked away through the broken line. In 2012, a section of the eastbound lane of Clay Street between Cleveland and Vanderbilt streets had to be repaired after city workers noticed a depression in the street caused by a leaking storm drain.

Also in 2012, a section of Grove Street between Fourth North and Fifth North streets was closed to repair a broken 8-inch storm drain.

Staff reporter John Surratt contributed to this report.