Massive Sinkhole Sucks Down Road in Sunset Park

Last Tuesday a street collapsed in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, creating a 30 foot wide and 15 foot deep sinkhole. The massive pit prevented cars from turning at the intersection of 64th Steet and Fifth Avenue, making some residents annoyed.

“This has ruined our whole day” said Maria Cruz, 28, with the help of her 9-year-old son Michael, who was translating from his mother’s Spanish to the reporter’s English. “We have no water for eight hours. We can’t use our car – it is stuck here.

The collapse occurred at 7am, and was caused by a leaking water main, which weakened the ground under the roadway. Utility companies were called to check the gas lines for any leaks, and water to the neighboring apartment buildings was turned off.

Representatives from the DEP plan to first fill in the gaping hole with emergency filler dirt so the hole does not worsen. At a later stage they will remove the dirt and properly repair the street.

Victor Gomez, a resident who lives nearby, expressed the feelings of many in the area:

“Thank God no cars or pedestrians were near the hole when it blew up” he said.