Community Corner
PHOTOS: Giant Sinkhole Swallows Lower East Side Street
An unknown water condition likely caused the huge hole on Madison Street, officials said.
LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A massive sinkhole swallowed part of a Lower East Side street Wednesday. Authorities said it was likely caused by an unknown water condition.
The hole spanned more than 20 feet along Madison Street, between Rutgers and Jefferson streets. City authorities first reported the incident at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning and emergency repair crews were still working to fill the sinkhole at 12:30 p.m. that afternoon. The street was blocked to car traffic as of Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. while investigators inspected the sinkhole.
Due to a water condition, expect emergency personnel & traffic delays in the area of Madison St & Rutgers St, MN. Consider alternate routes
— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) May 3, 2017
A spokesman for the city's Department of Environmental Protection said crews on the scene were working to find the source of the water leak. About 150 residents and 10 businesses in the area were without water as of Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the spokesman said. For more news from the Lower East Side and Chinatown, subscribe to Patch neighborhood news alerts here.
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All images via Ciara McCarthy/Patch.
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