Giant sinkhole in Philly’s Mayfair neighborhood leaves residents frustrated: 'We want our block to be safe'

PHILADELPHIA - A massive sinkhole on the 2900 block of Fanshawe Street in Mayfair has become a major concern for neighbors who say it continues to grow, creating unsafe conditions with no clear repair plan from city agencies, according to residents.

What we know:

The sinkhole started as a small hole the size of a watermelon but is now as large as a living room, with residents saying the problem has persisted for months.

Rose Bordeaux, who has lived on the street for 26 years, said, "My biggest concern right now gentlemen, is that this whole street could go. That's my biggest concern. If it can go to this how much further down is it going to go. It's terrible."

Bordeaux said that in the last month, the hole went from something small to a "giant problem," explaining, "It started three, four weeks ago, all of a sudden the last two it's been like wow, it's massive now what happened."

Local perspective:

Community members say ongoing work by the Philadelphia Water Department and Gas Works has not fixed the issue. Gus, who lives on the street, said, "They put plates over it, covered it up, and then had a pile of dirt but wasn't as big, it's gotten worse I don't know what else they did but the left and when are they coming back."

Shawna, another resident, said, "I just want them to fix it because it's a hazard, I'm more worried about the kids, sucks for parking but more worried about the little people, trying to play or the older ones that are more inquisitive that are playing on it because I don't want anyone getting hurt."

What's next:

FOX 29 Philadelphia reached out to both the Philadelphia Water Department and Gas Works for a timeline and plan of action now that both wooden planks and metal plates have fallen into the sinkhole. A response from both agencies is still pending.

Some residents say traffic has been disrupted and the hazard is growing, but there is no word on when repairs might begin. Gus said, "Why are you here you're putting up more cones. That's not helping anything we just want help, we want our block to be safe and we're going from this to this, massive, I don't know someone has to help us."

What we don't know:

It remains unclear when or how the Philadelphia Water Department and Gas Works will fix the sinkhole or provide a detailed plan for repairs, as both agencies have not responded to FOX 29 Philadelphia's requests for an update.