Updated with fresh video. Scroll down.
Update #2: It’s out! Scroll down.
A LOS ANGELES CITY FIRE ENGINE STRAYED OFF COURSE this morning and tumbled into a sinkhole created by a water main break.
KNBC-TV is reporting that the truck is still slowly sinking into the pit.
City fire units and Department of Water and Power repair crews were at the scene of a water main break that is gushing water near the intersection of Hartsook Street and Bellingham Avenue, located east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and south of Magnolia Boulevard in North Hollywood, according to city fire Capt. Rick McClure. The break was reported about 5:20 a.m., McClure said.
The fire truck blundered into it and was left with its back half protruding at a 45-degree angle.No injuries were immediately reported.
KTLA-TV has posted this video taken from their helicopter:
This is the third major water main break in the past four days in that same area.
Update, 4:30 pm:
It goes in a little deeper, but that mighty battery keeps the lights flashing:
Update #2, 6 pm Eastern:
Shortly after 1 pm Pacific time, a heavy-duty wrecker successfully retrieved the sinking fire engine from the sinkhole.
Los Angeles Times
AP / Nick Ut photo
The fire engine was in the neighborhood checking on the flooding call when the driver felt that the road was unstable. They were in the process of backing out from the danger area when the weight of the truck caused it to fall through the undermined pavement. Road authorities believe that a car’s weight would not have triggered the collapse. All four firefighters escaped safely through the windows as the water and mud began pouring into the cab.
