A busy city area in Omaha, Nebraska, lost power on Thursday after a garbage truck partly fell into a sinkhole.
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The incident occurred at around 8 am, close to an alleyway entrance. The front axle of a Waste Management of Nebraska garbage truck fell into the ground as it suddenly collapsed. The nose of the vehicle dipped into the hole but, thankfully, didn't completely fall in. According to the New York Post, the sinkhole is at least 10 feet deep, and emergency services removed the truck from the site in the afternoon.
KETV interviewed a bystander who said: "It's not every day you get to see a sinkhole, so that's always neat. It's also scary because when you walk, you're always concerned. Thanks to the power outage, many businesses closed for the day as emergency vehicles filled the road.
The Garbage Truck Driver Allegedly "Pulled Away A Barricade" Before The Incident
According to the KETV report, Omaha City officials have previously called the alleyway a 'point of concern.' Officials say the garbage truck driver allegedly "pulled away a barricade to drive down the alley."
Battalion Chief Coby Werner of the Omaha Fire Department explains, "This is a larger event just because of all the utilities that are running through that particular sinkhole. A lot of times, it might just be a water line or sewer line. In this case, there are power lines, gas lines, (and) quite a few utilities down there."
At around 4 pm, City Mayor Jean Stothert declared the road would remain closed until further notice. She also posted about the incident on
Facebook and provided more insight. "City Engineers and inspectors say a number of factors could have caused the pavement to collapse. While the investigation to determine the cause is underway, our Sewer Maintenance technicians are removing the pavement to determine the full extent of the void."According to the New York Post, Waste Management of Nebraska has disputed that the driver moved the barricade. The driver allegedly saw caution signs but no barriers before driving into the alleyway. The company clarifies that it "supports the driver's observations" and is cooperating with the investigation.
