A sinkhole spanning a Detroit street's entire width swallowed up a woman's car in a harrowing incident Thursday, leaving her unharmed but highlighting the crumbling infrastructure of a 122-year-old water system. Southwest Detroit's Lexington Street became the epicenter of this near tragedy when the pavement collapsed under the weight of a sedan due to a massive underground void caused by a water main leak. Witness Shawn Bundy described the events to FOX 2 Detroit, "I heard a boom, I ain't going to lie – I thought somebody got shot."
Residents had seen warning signs, including running water in the street in the days leading to the accident. Tabitha Alsobrook, a nearby resident, confessed her hesitance to approach the site, fearing further collapse. The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which had marked the site for repair the day before the car's descent, was caught off guard when the road gave way underneath the vehicle. Sam Smalley, deputy director of the water and sewerage department, lamented the age of the system, saying, "Unfortunately, the average age of our water main is 95 years old," as per FOX 2 Detroit.
The incident was also reported by ClickOnDetroit, emphasizing that the damaging water main dated back to 1902, and though the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department responded to a leak report the previous Wednesday, the full extent of the damage was not immediately apparent. Jimena Ramos, a resident, recounted how her uncle rushed to assist the woman in the car, per ClickOnDetroit, "The lady she was driving by all of a sudden it just caved in, and then they were just about to get in the car, but they saw what happened and went to help."
The community's distress was palpable in the aftermath of the collapse as evidenced by comments from Iris Jimenez, a resident who along with her sister had reported water pressure issues in their home days before the incident. "I just wish the city did more in order to prevent this," Iris Jimenez said, as per WXYZ. Repairs have begun, with the water department outlining a process of excavating the damaged pipe, replacing it, and restoring the road surface. However, the contractor has 30 days from the main replacement to make the road drivable again, leaving residents to ponder the vulnerability of the unseen yet vital underpinnings of their city life until then.
