A truck was nearly swallowed by a massive sinkhole in Saskatoon Wednesday.

The truck fell into the hole, located in a back alley at 1818 Lorne Ave., around 4 p.m.

“You’re going down a back alley, there are puddles everywhere, you don’t expect to lose half your truck,” said Robyn Chatlain, a neighbour who captured several pictures of the truck.

Her boyfriend’s vehicle hit the same hole six hours earlier at 10 a.m. The sinkhole was much smaller at the time his vehicle fell in.

“It just looked like a puddle,” said Chris Cole, Chatlain’s boyfriend.

Cole’s car didn’t sustain nearly as much damage as the truck.

“My wheel well was cracked,” he said. “Nothing too bad on mine, but his was pretty damaged.”

Both vehicles were removed by tow trucks.

A spokesperson for the city said the hole was caused by a gas cut that failed because of moisture and vehicle traffic.

City crews barricaded off the area around 4 p.m. Wednesday but were told by the fire department the next day the barricade was inadequate. A city supervisor then closed off the alley.

A grader was called to the alley Thursday morning but its tires also sunk into the road. City crews, instead, filled the hole with gravel and the left it to dry.

The city said it reacts on roadway-damage calls based on the severity of damage and the road’s traffic volumes.