In Harrisburg, the sinkhole saga of North Fourth Street continued Thursday. There are now three sinkholes.
A backhoe operator escaped injury Thursday afternoon when another part of the 2100 block of North Fourth Street opened up and the rig fell into sinkhole number three.
Crews have been working on the scene since Monday when the weight of a garbage truck opened up the sinkhole. Around eleven o’clock on New Year’s Eve, a larger hole developed about 100 feet north.
Thursday afternoon, as crews worked to restore water service to 30 homes, the weight of a 33-ton excavator opened a third, larger sinkhole between the other two. All water service is expected to be restored next week. Sewer will not be able to be fixed, the pipes are too old for repair. A new system won't be put in for at least a month.
The right side fell in the deepest. The uninjured operator worked with other crews and after a half hour of digging and adding fill to the hole, the driver was able to lift up the rig using its boom and once the tracks could grab hold, it was able to drive out of the sinkhole.
Tuesday, about 30 families were asked to leave their homes because damage had disrupted water, sewer and gas service to the neighborhood. Although UGI has completed repairs, the third sinkhole opened up as crews worked to restore water and sewer
City officials had said it would be several weeks until repairs are completed and residents can go home. One question we couldn’t get answered was how much longer it will take, now that there is a third sinkhole.
A backhoe operator escaped injury Thursday afternoon when another part of the 2100 block of North Fourth Street opened up and the rig fell into sinkhole number three.
Crews have been working on the scene since Monday when the weight of a garbage truck opened up the sinkhole. Around eleven o’clock on New Year’s Eve, a larger hole developed about 100 feet north.
Thursday afternoon, as crews worked to restore water service to 30 homes, the weight of a 33-ton excavator opened a third, larger sinkhole between the other two. All water service is expected to be restored next week. Sewer will not be able to be fixed, the pipes are too old for repair. A new system won't be put in for at least a month.
The right side fell in the deepest. The uninjured operator worked with other crews and after a half hour of digging and adding fill to the hole, the driver was able to lift up the rig using its boom and once the tracks could grab hold, it was able to drive out of the sinkhole.
Tuesday, about 30 families were asked to leave their homes because damage had disrupted water, sewer and gas service to the neighborhood. Although UGI has completed repairs, the third sinkhole opened up as crews worked to restore water and sewer
City officials had said it would be several weeks until repairs are completed and residents can go home. One question we couldn’t get answered was how much longer it will take, now that there is a third sinkhole.