Large sinkhole in the Northeast creates hazard for city block

NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - An ongoing Philadelphia Water Department project has turned a street into a virtual minefield in the Northeast.

The 6500 block of Kindred Street hasn't been a full block in months.

A growing sinkhole forces traffic to bail out into a back alley before Magee Avenue. Darius King says the trouble began a couple of years ago, with a Gas Works project down the street.

"They fixed that hole, then, about six months, maybe not even, later that one started developing. The second hole," said King.

It began sinking several months ago, so Jeffrey Harris reached out to the city.

"I called 311 and they hooked me up and came out and put these white lines around there," said Harris.
"Drew a line around it?" asked FOX 29's Bruce Gordon.
"Yep," said Harris.
"How much did that help?" asked Gordon.
"Well, it didn't help much. Ha ha ha!" exclaimed Harris.
"But, now this is an official hole, with this line drawn around it!" exclaimed Gordon.
"Exactly," said Harris.

Shockingly, the white lines did not stop the hole from growing.

Nor did a second visit.

Nor did a visit from the Water Department, after a call from Harris's wife. The 4'x4' hole is a couple of feet deep; soil beneath has eroded, creating a small cave.

"Do you drive anywhere near it?" asked Gordon.
"No, I actually park my car on the main street so I don't have to take a chance on somebody hitting my car trying to avoid it," said King.

Last week, Philadelphia Police stopped by to barricade the hole. But, it's already deep enough to have swallowed a traffic cone. And, every new rain storm washes out more soil below.

"Somebody's going to get hurt. They're going to run this thing here, they're going to try and go around the car here and go on this side here and it's just going to sink in and it's going to fall," said Harris.

Harris says he called FOX 29 because, "We know you get things done."

Gordon snapped some photos and sent them to the Water Department and the Streets Department looking for answers and a timetable for repairs and repaving.

"Your view as a taxpayer?" asked Gordon.
"Angry. A little disgusted that it's happening. You know, it affects the whole block!" exclaimed King.