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By Caroline Spivack<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Daily<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
A massive sinkhole nearly swallowed a school bus on 23rd Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues on Dec. 6.<\/p>\n
The 7-foot crater opened after the bus drove over the sagging street at roughly 3:30 pm, a witness said. The sight was a shock to block residents, but Sunset Park residents are no strangers to the cave-ins — the chasm is the nabe’s third hulking sinkhole this year. Emergency responders swooped in quickly closing the street and hauling off the stunned bus driver. It was a frightening scene, said one witness.<\/p>\n
“It sounded like a bomb went off. Water was gushing everywhere. It was scary. We had no idea what was going on,” said life-long Sunset Parker Jeanine Salerno, who works at a business on the block. “The pressure popped the bus off the street and made it immobile. It was like an explosion. Thank god there weren’t any kids on that bus. I think the driver was okay but he looked pretty shaken up.” <\/p>\n
An ambulance arrived on the scene at 3:41 pm and took the driver to Maimonides Medical Center, said a Fire Department spokesman.<\/p>\n
A Department of Environmental Protection work crew showed up soon after, pumped water from the hole, and found a busted pipe.<\/p>\n
The city couldn’t confirm what caused the cave-in because it is still investigating, but it’s likely due to soil erosion from a leak in either a city water main or a pipe running to one of the neighboring buildings, according to a department spokesman.<\/p>\n
“We’re excavating to determine where the leak is,” said rep Eric Landau. “We’re working as fast as we can.” <\/p>\n
Locals stopped to gawk at the massive hole and store owners scrambled to find a way to function business as usual. G&W Food Products, a 23rd Street food distributor, had to forklift packages down the block to a truck on Sixth Avenue due to the street closure. And one mother leaving her home with a baby stroller struggled to navigate the piles of debris with her two children in tow. <\/p>\n
“It’s a major pain,” said Maria Picciotti. “This happens all the time in this area. God forbid one of my kids was playing out here when this happened. I just want them to get the job done and do it well, but I’m sure this won’t be the last time.”<\/p>\n
Reach reporter Caroline Spivack at cspivack@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260–2523. Follow her on Twitter @carolinespivack.<\/p>\n
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