Winter weather often damages roads, but a pothole big enough to fit a car in is a little extreme.

On a wet, snowy day where most people would rather stay inside, employees with Ironton's sewer and street departments were battling the elements trying to fix a massive hole on Railroad Street.

A large section of Railroad Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, approximately 16 feet long by 12 feet deep, collapsed Tuesday after a sewer line leak undermined the ground, said Mike Pemberton, Ironton's street/flood/sanitation superintendent.

However, the sewer system is still flowing properly and will not affect the residents at all, he said.

"We are trying to get all the material out and get it exposed to see where the problem is," Pemberton said.

Because the brick-lined sewer system is 18 feet deep, it will take some work before they see what it will take to fix it and how long.

Unless it is something major, it should be taken care of within a week, he said.