STREATOR - One lane of Main Street was closed Tuesday when a 8- by 10-foot section of pavement opened, the third such collapse in less than a month near B&K Auto Sales.

Don Harlan, owner of B&K Auto Sales, 201 W. Main St., is not sure why the area keeps collapsing but he hopes eventually to reopen.

On March 27, a portion of his lot and that of an adjoining clinic collapsed into the Vermilion River after heavy rain. Harlan was ordered to get his dozen used cars and employees out of the building. They have not been able to return, instead moving next door to a building Harlan planned to demolish "but I guess we'll use it now."

Herwig Chiropractic moved to a nearby medical office.

Two weeks earlier, a collapse of land near Harlan's business was blamed on a poorly filled excavation, Harlan said. The March 27 collapse has been tentatively blamed on the fill put in there years ago.

Monday's collapse was blamed on an 80-year-old brick sewer no longer in use, said Public Works Director David Fussell.

None of the collapses resulted in injury, though the two businesses are being closely monitored by city employees.

Fussell said there are still a few of the abandoned sewers left in town, but they will be filled in as needed. None of the collapses that happened near Harlan's property were related, Fussell said.

"I don't know why I would have it happen three times in less than a month," said Harlan.

It will be several days before traffic may return to normal, Fussell said.

Harlan said he has a closed sign on the business since there is no way a potential customer could negotiate road repair equipment to view the 30 cars he has for sale. He said he has not been told how long it would be before he can re-open.