East Baltimore Sinkhole Prompts City To Shut Down Part Of North Avenue Until Further Notice
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- There is a traffic alert for drivers who use East North Avenue.
A portion of the road is closed in both directions because a sinkhole has opened on the sidewalk.
"Who knows," Homeowner Quentin Bell said. "We don't know what's going on."
The sinkhole has prompted authorities to shut down the section of East North Avenue between Homewood and Greenmount Avenues.
"The whole rest of the block could cave in today or tomorrow," Bell said.
The hole is causing uncertainty for the people who live near it. It is on the sidewalk and stretches across three houses.
Quentin Bell owns one of those houses. He and his neighbors noticed the sinkhole appear over the weekend. They said it has grown since then.
"It even extended further out and took the tree down," Bell said.
Luckily, no one was home when the hole opened up. But now, no one is allowed back in their homes.
"Everything is still in there: furniture, TVs, clothes," Bell said. "Everything. It's a fully furnished house."
Bell said the homes may have to be torn down.
"There's no way they can brace it because the front is gone," Bell said.
This section of North Avenue will be closed until further notice.
"They had to move the traffic because, you know, buses coming down here, that just makes it move even more so," Baltimore City Councilman District Robert Stokes said.
The city is investigating what caused this sinkhole. Neighbors believe it is related to the severe thunderstorms that deposited heavy rain in Baltimore over the weekend.
Bell is just thankful no one was hurt.
"Luckily, I'm blessed to be prepared for some of the worst things that could happen," Bell said.
Drivers are being asked to take alternate routes such as Biddle, Preston or 25th streets while crews work to repair the sinkhole.