Massive Sinkhole Almost Swallows Car In Bushwick

BUSHWICK – A massive sinkhole took over a street and almost swallowed a vehicle and its passengers Thursday morning.

At around 8 a.m. this morning, August 1, a sinkhole opened up near the intersection of Evergreen Street and Decatur Avenue. According to Council Member Rafael Espinal, the sinkhole measured 8 feet by 16 feet, with a depth of 12 feet. It was so massive that a Chevy carrying three passengers almost fell in. Fortunately, they evacuated just in time.

According to the cops, the vehicle was removed safely and no one was seriously injured. The passengers, an adult and two kids, were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Sinkholes are formed when the “land surface above collapses or sinks into the cavities or when surface material is carried downward into the voids.” Drought, along with high groundwater withdrawals, can cause sinkholes to form, as well as heavy rain after a drought which can cause pressure on the ground and create sinkholes.

The following activities can trigger a sinkhole:

• Overwithdrawal of groundwater
• Diverting surface water from a large area and concentrating it in a single point
• Artificially creating ponds of surface water
• Drilling new water wells

Espinal urged drivers to avoid the nearby streets which have been closed off until conditions are safe.

“The City’s infrastructure needs to be the top priority for City Planning. Our transportation system is falling apart on all fronts,” Espinal said. “We need a full study of the integrity of our roads. Luckily no one was seriously injured, but it’s safe to say that a sinkhole of this size is anyone’s worst nightmare.”