Neighbors grow frustrated as a large sinkhole grows: “Pretty much been a mess”
By Ryan Hughes, Chase Morrison
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PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Frustration is growing in the city’s Port Richmond neighborhood Saturday after a large sinkhole opened up a few days ago. Neighbors said it’s becoming a dangerous situation as drivers continue to ignore posted barriers with some going in the hole.
On the 3200 block of Almond Street in Port Richmond, craters have been swallowing cars.
“Pretty much been a mess for the past week,” John Tanczak said.
Neighbors said a sinkhole is getting bigger and their concerns are growing larger with each passing day.
“The kids when they cross the street, or just playing around, they’re going to probably fall in,” Kareem Sims said.
Neighbors tell CBS News Philadelphia barricades were placed near the intersection of Almond and Allegheny days ago but drivers have been going around them and on Friday several cars were partially swallowed by the sinkhole.
A tow truck had to pull out this SUV.
“I know of at least two cars that have gone in there and my brother seen another one go in there and ripped his gas tank, so we’ve seen at least three,” Brian Hessa said.
Since then, additional barricades have been placed right in front of the hole and it’s creating potential danger.
Throughout the day and into the night, we watched as two pickup trucks and car after car after car went up onto the sidewalk around the barricades.
“There’s a car coming down now, so hopefully that doesn’t fall into the sinkhole,” Tanczak said.
Tanczak said several sinkholes have opened up on this block over the past few years. He said his neighbors contacted the city but they haven’t been given a timeline of when this will be fixed.
“Don’t come down here, stay on Allegheny and go around,” he said. “Find another way, you’re going to mess your car up, it’s going to be expensive.”
CBS News Philadelphia went to the Streets Department for answers and was told the sinkhole was not listed in the system but someone would investigate.
We also reached out to the water department and are still waiting to hear back.
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