Crews Working To Repair Large Sinkhole In Washington Heights
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Crews are working to repair a large sinkhole that opened up underneath vehicles early Monday morning in Washington Heights.
It happened at 167th Street and Edgecombe Avenue, where Hector George, who is in town from upstate New York to visit his mother, found his vehicle suspended at an angle on top of the sinking pavement.
"I saw the news and I said, 'That looks like my car,'" he told CBS2's Janelle Burrell. "It was my car! I was hoping that it wasn't."
Department of Environmental Protection workers and police were scrambling to tow his vehicle and others on the block as the caving ground continued to give way before dawn.
"The guy who first got here and responded, he said when he first got here my car was in a bit too steep incline," George said. "If I had waited another hour, he said it would had been completely sunk."
Heavy machinery was brought in to dig up the road further to find the source of the problem.
The sight of the steep hole was stunning to residents.
"I'm glad that everyone is OK, but that's really insane," said resident Terrance Crawford.
Crews say it was a 12-inch main that ruptured underneath the ground and said they are checking the line to see if there are any additional breaks.
Edgecombe Avenue is closed from 165th Street to 170th Street as the repairs continue. Drivers are urged to use an alternate route in the area.
No injuries have been reported.