Drivers on a busy stretch of Veterans Memorial Drive got an unwelcome surprise Tuesday night when a vehicle dropped into a wide sinkhole in northwest Houston, shutting down the intersection and sending two older adults to the hospital.
The incident happened in the 13100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive, where the car ended up trapped in the hole until Harris County deputies and local firefighters hauled it back out. Both people inside were taken to a hospital and were reported in fair condition. The roadway stayed closed while crews checked the pavement and cleared the scene.
What responders reported
According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, deputies and crews from the Champions Fire Department responded after a vehicle struck what officials described as a "wide sinkhole" in the 13100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive.
The sheriff's office said responders pulled the car from the hole and shut down the intersection while they worked. Two older adults from the vehicle were transported to a hospital in fair condition. Officials did not immediately release more information about what caused the sinkhole or provide further updates on the conditions of those taken to the hospital.
Sinkholes have closed Houston roads this year
This is not the first time a collapsing roadway has disrupted traffic around Houston this year. Sinkholes and pavement failures have popped up across the region, often linked to water-line breaks and underground infrastructure problems, including a large sinkhole that shut lanes of I-10 East in February.
The Houston Chronicle reported that in that earlier case, crews from TxDOT and Houston Public Works worked with county teams to assess and repair the roadway. That example is a reminder of why officials typically keep lanes and intersections closed until they can figure out how far the underground damage goes and make repairs.
Local response and what drivers should expect
Champions Emergency Services District (ESD 29), which serves the Champion Forest area and operates stations and apparatus in northwest Harris County, covers the neighborhood around the incident, according to the district's website.
Drivers should plan for detours or slowdowns near the 13100 block of Veterans Memorial Drive while county road crews and other teams inspect the sinkhole and repair the damage. Authorities urged anyone traveling through the area to take it easy and follow any posted traffic directions while the work continues.
