Community outraged over sink hole on their street

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Members of Philadelphia community are extremely unhappy.

"It's a disgrace. It is definitely a disgrace," said Wolf Street resident Frank Caruso.

Caruso is tired of looking out his front door on the 1600 block of Wolf Street in South Philadelphia at a giant sink hole.

"It started as a little hole and started to get bigger and bigger," said Caruso. "I seen cars go into the hole, they were lucky to get out."

Residents say it's been like this for months.

Joe Ortolano is another resident who has lived on this block for over 20 years. He says the city finally covered the hole a month ago, but says it's an eyesore and it's taking up parking spaces.

"At least one, probably two because you're afraid to park over there cause it could cave in on both sides. It could cave in at any time," said Ortolano.

There is also another big hole right around the corner at 17th and wolf. It's also been like this for some time.

"They came out two weeks ago and just put a plate on it. They didn't fix it. They were there for all day, and put a metal plate on it," added Ortolano.

Coincidentally within a half hour of our call to the water department, PWD crews showed up at this corner to do some exploratory work on what is a leak on the main that connects the hydrant here.

"We work all around the city. We have many jobs, sometimes it just takes a little longer to schedule sometimes, takes a little longer to get to. Unfortunately this one has gone on for some time, but we are here now," said PWD spokesman John D'Julio.