A sinkhole opens at an Omaha intersection, swallowing an SUV and a pickup truck
A sinkhole opens under two vehicles at a busy Omaha intersection, and both drivers climb out safely
By AP nullOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Surveillance video captured the dramatic moment a sinkhole opened up on a busy intersection in south-central Omaha, Nebraska, swallowing up two vehicles.
The incident happened Tuesday afternoon in a trendy section of the Midwest city, when a sport utility vehicle and a pickup truck waiting at a traffic light dropped into a hole several feet deep when the pavement under them suddenly gave way. Neither driver was injured, police said.
The driver of the truck was able to get out of the sinkhole on his own, then joined other bystanders who helped the SUV driver out of the hole, police said.
“We are grateful to them for jumping into action and quickly providing help,” Omaha police spokeswoman Officer Sarah Martier said in a statement.
The area serves both the University of Nebraska at Omaha and draws residents to a thriving entertainment district teaming with restaurants, retail shops and a movie theater.
Omaha Public Works indicates on its website that the sinkhole was the result of a water main break. Metropolitan Utilities District, which operates the city's water system, did not immediately return phone and email messages Wednesday seeking comment.