9 Families Displaced, 3 Homes Demolished After Sinkhole Opens Up In East Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Nine families were displaced after crews demolished three homes Tuesday near a sinkhole in East Baltimore.

The large sinkhole opened up at some point Monday on a sidewalk along the 700 block of North Avenue, prompting authorities to block off part of the roadway.

Crews declared the area unsafe Tuesday, shutting down traffic on North Avenue between Greenmount Avenue and Homewood Avenue.

By Tuesday evening, demolition efforts were underway on three nearby homes, forcing nine families to find somewhere else to stay.

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation said there are detours in place, with westbound traffic being rerouted at Homewood Avenue and eastbound traffic being diverted at Greenmount.

It's recommended that drivers who use North Avenue take alternate routes, such as Preston, Biddle, and 25th streets, to avoid getting stuck in traffic, the agency said.

There is no timetable for the road to reopen to vehicle traffic.

About five minutes away, part of North Wolfe Street is closed between North Avenue and East Lafayette Avenue because of a second sinkhole.

The city said southbound traffic will be directed left on North Avenue, right on Chester Street, right on E. Lafayette Avenue and left back onto N. Wolfe Street.

It is unclear when the blocks will be reopened.