Large sinkhole opens in Bushwick, Brooklyn, nearly swallowing car
BUSHWICK, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A large sinkhole opened up in Bushwick, Brooklyn Thursday morning, nearly swallowing a car and shutting down several streets.
The hole, which measured about 8 feet by 16 feet across and 12 feet deep, opened on Evergreen Avenue and Decatur Street around 8 a.m.
NYPD officers arrived and blocked off several streets in the area.
Photos taken shortly after the hole opened up showed the front end of a car hanging over the edge of the hole.
The NYPD says two people were in the car when the hole opened up and were able to get out safely without assistance.
No injuries were reported.
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials determined the hole was caused by a broken 30-inch sewer line.
The cause of the ruptured sewer main is still under investigation. Contractors had been working in the street in recent weeks.
Repair crews were en route to the scene. The DEP said repairs would likely take a day or two.
Utility service has not been affected and likely will not be affected while the work is ongoing.
NYC Council Member Rafael Espinal, who represents Bushwick, Cypress Hills, Brownsville, and East New York, issued the following statement: "The city's infrastructure needs to be our top priority in city planning. Our transportation system is falling apart on all fronts. We need a full study of the integrity of our roads. Luckily no one was severely injured, but it's safe to say that a sinkhole of this size is anyone's worst nightmare."
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