A large sinkhole opened up in a street uptown early this morning, nearly gobbling up two parked vehicles.
FDNY officials told reporters a water main break caused the sinkhole on West 167th Street near Edgecombe Avenue in Washington Heights, around 3:30 a.m.
Crews are investigating a possible water main break after this sinkhole opens up in Washington Heights. pic.twitter.com/HN6Sz2AhuD
— Candace McCowan (@CandaceMcCowan7) January 23, 2017
The SUVs photographed leaning precariously into the void seem to have been saved, though Department of Transportation and FDNY spokespeople declined to comment and the Department of Environmental Protection did not immediately respond to a request for information about what happened to them.
In response to the subsidence, emergency crews closed Edgecombe Avenue from West 165th Street, where the school MS 326 is located, to West 170th Street.
As of late this morning, work was still underway to repair the water main:
Crews digging to try find source of sinkhole at W. 167th and Edgecombe Ave. in #WashingtonHeights @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/GtAHIGSmgc
— Janelle Burrell (@BurrellTV) January 23, 2017
Update: work continues on water main break. 12 inch main has been shut off. 167th still shut down. No estimate on how long repairs will take pic.twitter.com/1e271vyTi5
— Candace McCowan (@CandaceMcCowan7) January 23, 2017
New York area sinkholes have a longstanding tradition of devouring vehicles, sometimes while they're in motion. No injuries or evacuations were reported in connection with this one.
