Sinkhole nearly swallows car in Bath Beach following water main break

BATH BEACH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A water main break left the pavement in pieces and a vehicle swallowed into the street in Brooklyn on Monday morning.

It happened on Bay 37th Street near Cropsey Avenue in the Bath Beach section around 4:15 a.m.

At least one car was stuck in the sinkhole, while others were damaged. NYPD requested a tow truck to pull the car out of the hole.

The Department of Environmental Protection shut off the water, which stopped the leak. Crews were then able to start pumping the water out.

Approximately three residential buildings and seven private dwellings were impacted by the shutdown. Residents couldn't shower of flush their toilet.



The owner of the car said her boyfriend tried to save the car from falling into the sinkhole but it was too deep.

"The DEP guy put the stick in and the stick went all the way down to five feet," said Vincenza Maligieri. "My boyfriend thought it was regular because our streets are fine. There is nothing wrong with our street. And he thought he was walking opening the door and moving, but meanwhile, he fell in."

She said her boyfriend was slightly injured in the fall but he is OK.

DEP said repairs were complete and water service was restored shortly before 3 p.m.

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