Sinkhole Swallows Car After Large Water Main Break In Hoboken

HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A car was swallowed up by a sinkhole after a large water main break early Monday morning in Hoboken.

The break happened around 6 a.m. on 1st Street between Clinton Street and Willow Avenue. Several inches of water from the broken 12-inch main flooded the streets.

Phill Snyder and his girlfriend found almost half of their car underneath 1st Street outside of their apartment.

"Looked outside, all I saw was the street was flooded. Only took a few seconds to realize it was my car alarm that was going off," he told CBS2's Janelle Burrell.

It took several reinforced straps and a back hoe to finally pluck their car above ground.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, crews were still making repairs to the main and the sinkhole on Monday afternoon.

The flooded streets also forced residents like Andrew O'Donnell to tap into his high school tracks skills to get to work.

"I was not about to go back up five flights of stairs to get my boots," he said.

Others had no water to get ready for work.

"Some face wipes that's it," said resident Allie Blom. "I got stuff, if I have to stay in a hotel tonight."

The dry cleaners on the corner remained open, but wasn't seeing much foot traffic.

"Usually Monday's busy, not today," Sara Park said.

The break left some residents frustrated.

"It sucks that it's a common occurrence here, but it is what it is," said resident Tina Loveland.

"I'm frustrated by this happening again and again in this town," said resident Jeremy Whitmore.

The aging infrastructure, some of it nearly 100 years old, is partly to blame.

"We're working with city officials to fix infrastructure, to get a handle on main breaks," said Treva Spencer, SUEZ Water spokesperson. "Until that happens, we'll have to monitor the situation and fix as needed."

City officials said about 20 years ago they entered into an agreement with Suez, then United Water, and it's been a bad deal.

It only requires Suez to "spend a small amount annually in capital expenditures or repairs - $350,000 per year, however most of that is spent just repairing our broken mains, and there is little left over for proactive infrastructure improvements."

They're now looking to renegotiate that contract or bid out a new contract.

But that means little to Snyder as he figures out getting a replacement for this car.

"I called the insurance company, so just going through the motions and waiting to see what happens," he said.

Crews have since isolated the broken water main and are working to restore water pressure. The city said customers on 1st Street between Clinton Street and Willow Avenue will be without water service until repairs are completed.

A boil advisory has been issued because of the water main break – though only for one block. SUEZ advised residents of 1st Street between Willow Avenue and Clinton Street that they should boil water for at least one minute for drinking, cooking, baking, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or beverages, feeding pets, and all other consumption.

Water need not be boiled for showering, washing dishes, or washing clothes.

The boil advisory does not apply anywhere except that lone block.

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