Hole dug in Pittsburgh street for Batman explosion

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Crews filming the Batman sequel “The Dark Knight Rises” have tied up Pittsburgh traffic by closing some streets, and filling others with artificial snow. Now they’ve hired a contractor to dig a hole in a downtown street for a scene involving an explosion.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports today that Frank J. Zottola Construction dug the hole that is 16 feet wide, 18 feet long and five feet deep.

A city public works official says the hole has been dug to “establish an explosion on the street from a missile that comes from a flying object.”

Beyond that, city officials and filmmakers are remaining mum on the hole which will be featured in a scene scheduled to be shot Thursday.

Until then, the hole is covered with a tarp and surrounded by a portable fence.