Repairs continue at Kensington sinkhole site
Philadelphia Water Department crews were back at work Monday in the 2300 of East Boston Street in Kensington. (WPVI)
By Annie McCormick
Updated 1 hr 59 mins ago
KENSINGTON (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Water Department crews were back at work Monday in the 2300 of East Boston Street in Kensington.
They are working to repair a six-inch water main that ruptured before 9 a.m. Sunday, opening up a 40-feet-by-50-feet sinkhole that caused much of the block to collapse.
"It was a frustrating, long day," said Alyssa Banks.
A water main break caused a large sinkhole to open up in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.
Banks' brand new car was one of two vehicles swallowed up in the hole.
"I'm a little overwhelmed," she said. "When I came out in the morning it took a little... it's not part of your visual vocabulary to come out and see your car in a big, giant hole."
The sinkhole is now a neighborhood curiosity. Kids took it Monday morning on their way to school.
"It's not surprising in this neighborhood," said resident John Sharkey. "It's happened a bunch of times."
Shortly before the ground opened the water department was already on scene responding to complaints of low water pressure and leaks inside residents' basements.
Crews handed out water to people who decided to stay in their homes. Officials tell Action News the water could be back on sometime later Monday or on Tuesday.
The city can't say yet if aging infrastructure or weather caused the break.
Repair crews were expected to be out at the scene all day on Monday.
According to the water department, the street will remain closed for about a week, but there has been no word how long it will take to fix the other the problems related to the sinkhole.