Tuesday night in Kensington got messy fast when a Philadelphia Water Department truck suddenly dropped into a collapsing section of Frankford Avenue during a response to a water main break. Crews rushed in a heavy tow truck to haul the stranded vehicle back to solid ground, then blocked off the area while they worked to stabilize the battered roadway. Neighbors told Action News this stretch has been a problem spot, with multiple breaks popping up over the past few weeks.
Water Department Vehicle Pulled From Road
According to 6abc, the collapse happened on Frankford Avenue near Wishart Street, where the pavement gave way beneath the Water Department truck. The station reports a large truck was brought in to lift the vehicle out of the hole, and notes that a viewer told Action News there have been at least two water main breaks on the same block in the last two months. 6abc also said it contacted the department for comment on the repeated problems.
Not The Only Break This Winter
The sinkhole scare did not happen in a vacuum. It comes during a brutal winter stretch for city pipes that have been cracking under the cold. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Philadelphia Water Department crews handled roughly 147 water main breaks in January alone. NBC10 covered another major break that shut down a stretch of MLK Drive for days earlier this winter, a reminder of just how hard the city’s aging water system has been pushed.
How The City Responds
The Philadelphia Water Department maintains an online map of emergency projects that highlights multiple repairs in Kensington and shows active emergency work scattered across the city. The department’s public Philadelphia Water Department guidance on damaged mains explains how crews respond to breaks and reminds residents that a 24/7 customer hotline at (215) 685-6300 is available for reporting water emergencies.
6abc reported it had reached out to the Water Department and was still waiting for a response, and city officials had not released additional details at the time of publication. This story will be updated when the department provides more information and crews wrap up repairs at the scene.
