Only in Montreal: Firetruck becomes stuck in pothole

A Montreal firetruck is stuck in what appears to be a pothole of its own making Wednesday afternoon.

According to the city's fire department (SIM), the current theory is that the truck was stopped at a red light when the road caved in under one of its tires.

An operation was conducted at the corner of Stanley Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard downtown to free the fire engine.

A firetruck became stuck in what appears to be a pothole in downtown Montreal on Aug. 2, 2023. (CTV News)

The SIM confirmed that the truck was not responding to an emergency when it became trapped.

Nearly two hours after getting stuck, the truck was freed from the hole, which firefighters said was three feet deep.

Firefighters assess a hole that trapped a firetruck at a Montreal intersection on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. (Max Harrold/CTV News)

Recent road work at the intersection could explain why the pothole appeared Wednesday.

A city worker told CTV News that a week earlier, crews were there to fix a valve. When the work was done, the street was paved over. The worker, who spoke to CTV News on the condition of anonymity, said recent rain is believed to have infiltrated the asphalt, causing the pavement to weaken when the truck was on the road.

Crews will likely have to rip open the street once again.