Crews continued working Sunday to repair the 20-foot sinkhole in Studio City that swallowed two vehicles on Friday, causing firefighters to rescue one woman trapped in her car.
City teams, along with emergency contractors, were slowly working to shore up the sinkhole. Although a timeline is not yet available, repairs could take several days to complete.
On Sunday, repair crews were also trying to establish a bypass around the sinkhole that will enable a partial reopening of Laurel Canyon Boulevard at the affected site, according to L.A. Sanitation Bureau spokesman Adel Hagekhalil.
“The sinkhole was probably caused by a combination of excessive rain and a possible sewer failure,’ city public works officials said. There were no sewer overflows and all the wastewater was contained in the sewer pipe.”
Firefighters were sent at 8:16 p.m. Friday to the sinkhole at 4245 N. Laurel Canyon Blvd., two blocks south of Moorpark Street, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott.
[symple_googlemap title=”Sinkhole” location=”4245 N. Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City, Ca” height=”300″ zoom=”13″]
Firefighters arrived to find one car upside-down in a large, dark sinkhole full of rushing water.
The single occupant was standing on the upside-down car, approximately 10 feet below street level, Scott said.
“Firefighters jumped into action and rapidly lowered an (20-foot) extension ladder down to the (48-year-old female) allowing her to climb out, and transported her to a local hospital in fair condition,” he said.
The woman told firefighters that while she was driving, she felt the car pitch to the left, then it tumbled into the sinkhole and the airbags deployed. Water started coming into the vehicle and she tried to raise the windows, which didn’t work, Scott said.
The woman said she was able to open the door and climb on top of the car and started screaming for help.
“She said she thought she was going to die,” Scott said. “Then she heard the firefighters yell back to her.”
The driver of the second vehicle that fell into the sinkhole was able to get out of the car unharmed, Scott said.
“The pavement continued to give way and the second vehicle fell in the sinkhole,” Scott said.
The Bureaus of Sanitation, Engineering and Contract Administration responded overnight, stabilizing the sinkhole and removing the two vehicles, the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works reported.
Laurel Canyon Boulevard remained closed between Moorpark Street and Valley Spring Lane, and Woodbridge Street is closed east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Drivers were advised to avoid the area.
–City News Service