This story has been updated.
Two cars Friday night fell into a gigantic sinkhole that opened on North Howard Street in Akron’s North Hill after a water main issue.
It was unclear when the first car hit the hole, but a city spokeswoman said the Akron Fire Department received a call at 9:41 p.m. Feb. 13 to help people involved in the second incident.
Firefighters transported three people to area hospitals. All are expected to recover, the spokesperson said. At least one of the cars had to be towed from the hole.
The street collapse in the 1100 block of North Howard Street appears to have been caused by a break in an 8-inch water main that was installed in 1917, the spokesperson said.
City sewer and highway maintenance workers discovered the issue after they were called to investigate the sinkhole. Employees Friday night shut down the water main from Iuka to Creston avenues to prevent more road damage and called a contractor for help.
The city said there “is extensive undermining of this roadway in and around the collapse.” A contractor will excavate and repair the main line. Sewer maintenance workers will also put a camera line underground to see if other repairs may be necessary.
Once repairs are made, the spokesperson said city officials will figure out how to rebuild the road and replace pavement.
It was not yet clear how long this section of road may be closed.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Sinkhole on Howard Street leaves 3 with injuries, repairs underway
Reporting by Amanda Garrett, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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