'Nightmare' Bushwick Sinkhole Swallows Car

A massive sinkhole opened up in Bushwick on Thursday morning, partially swallowing a nearby car and prompting closures on the surrounding streets.

The hungry hole appeared at around 8 a.m. at the intersection of Evergreen Avenue and Decatur Street, near the cemetery. According to police, an occupied vehicle was teetering over the edge the crater, before it was safely removed by emergency services. There were no injuries to the vehicle's occupants.

Aaron Ghitelman, a nearby resident who works at Localize.nyc, described the sinkhole as "really huge."

"The police had to block off the streets of course and just kind of stood there in awe," he added. "Felt like they had just regraded/paved that street a few months ago so everyone who was there was both in shock and frustrated that it'll be under work again."

Sinkholes can be triggered by a couple of factors, and are typically related to the composition of bedrock below the street; intense rainstorms and floods can also lead to collapses.

Councilmember Rafael Espinal urged residents avoid the area, noting that it might be a while before the streets are reopened.

"We need a full study of the integrity of our roads," Espinal told Gothamist. "Luckily no one was hurt, but it’s safe to say that a sinkhole of this size is anyone’s worst nightmare."