A male passer-by, who fell into a sinkhole which opened up on a footpath in Baiyun Lu, Xicheng district, was rescued and sent to hospital Tuesday afternoon, Xicheng district government said on Sina Weibo Tuesday.

The sinkhole appeared at 4:02 pm, and it was the collapse of electricity tunnels which were under construction near Chang'an Avenue that led to the hole, the government said.

A police officer who was directing traffic nearby at the time, surnamed Kong, told the Global Times that he "witnessed a man suddenly disappear, and his bags were left near the hole."

"The man was later rescued, but the sinkhole was as big as three-meters square," Kong said.

The victim sustained slight bruising.