Dec 7, 2016 3 min read Nonsponsored

UPDATED: South Slope Sinkhole Almost Gobbles Up School Bus; 23rd Street Clogged With Construction

sinkhole-on-23rd-street — A bus sustained damage from this sinkhole located at 23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. (Photo by Josh Sobel, partner and chef at Southside Coffee)

Luckily the kids had already been dropped off.

A massive sinkhole — sizable enough to swallow a car2go for dinner — opened up on 23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues on Tuesday afternoon, December 6. The incident happened just after the last child got off the bus, reported ABC 7.

The street was closed up as emergency vehicles began to work on fixing the damage as well as determining what exactly caused the incident.

Early Wednesday afternoon, dozens of city workers and heavy equipment took over the block.

The sinkhole was still evident in front of G&W Food Products, located at 267 23rd Street. G&W Warehouse Foreman Wilson Valentin said he was on the scene Tuesday and witnessed the school bus almost sink into the street right in front of the warehouse.

“I was standing right here,” said Valentin, who was speaking with BKLYNER about 15 feet away from the sinkhole. “I heard an explosion and saw the bus rock. Smoke started coming from the tires. The sinkhole caught the rear tires of the bus, but it didn’t fall in. Part of the back of the bus was pulled off.”

Valentin said the driver was “stunned but not badly hurt.” He called an ambulance after checking on him. The driver was later transported to the hospital.

“Luckily those kids were dropped off before this happened,” he said.

Valentin said that he was told it was a water main break at that building.

sinkhole 23rd Street — Wilson Valentin witnessed the bus incident. (Photo by Donny Levit / BKLYNER)

ABC 7 reported that food from G&W was planned for delivery to food pantries and senior centers. Owner Alan Wolf was concerned that trucks would not able load up their trucks.

Crates of food in his warehouse are supposed to be delivered to senior centers and food pantries Wednesday, but not if his trucks couldn’t get down the street.

While there were several Department of Environmental Protection workers and representatives on hand, they declined to speak with BKLYNER about the cause of the event. “We can’t talk about this,” one worker said.

A DEP spokesperson later confirmed that there had been a small break in the city water main. As of 4pm on Wednesday, December 7, the break has been repaired. In addition, all buildings on the street have water and road repairs are under way.

A crew also opened up a square hole in front of 273 23rd Street, roughly 20 feet away from the sinkhole.

Josh Sobel of Southside Coffee — Chef Josh Sobel, partner at Southside Coffee and 23rd Street resident (Photo by Donny Levit / BKLYNER)

Josh Sobel, partner and chef at nearby Southside Coffee, is also a resident who lives in the building. “The hole has been ‘fixed’ over and over again, year after year,” he said. But problems still persist.

A DEP spokesperson said they had not received prior reports of problems on this block.

Updated: December 7, 4:15pm. A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation informed us that sinkhole incidents are handled by the Department of Environmental Protection, and not the DOT. The DOT does handle pothole issues.