Video captures sinkhole where garbage truck crash knocked out power for parts of Omaha
A garbage truck that got stuck in a sinkhole with exposed utility lines led to a large portion of downtown Omaha losing power for several hours Thursday while workers removed the vehicle.
The driver of the truck, which appears to be a Waste Management vehicle, had been attempting to maneuver through an alley before crashing into the sinkhole, according to local reports. Pictures shared on social media by the Omaha Fire Department showed the stuck truck with its nose lodged in the sinkhole and its rear wheels lifted off the ground.
Firefighters told the Associated Press the sinkhole was about 10 feet deep.
While a number of utility lines were exposed when the hole formed at the entrance of the alley, it was unclear if the sinkhole was already there or if the truck created it, KETV reported.
Electricity and gas service were shut off to the surrounding area for much of Thursday, forcing many area businesses to close for the day as city officials investigated the situation, according to the Omaha Public Power District and Metropolitan Utilities District utilities.
The garbage truck was removed by early afternoon before power and natural gas service were restored to the area, according to the fire department.
Cause of Omaha sinkhole under investigation
The alley had been a concern for city officials, prompting them to erect a barricade to keep vehicles from driving down it, city engineer Austin Rowser told the KETV television station.
While Rowser told KETV that the driver of the Waste Management trash truck moved the barricade to drive through the alley, the company disputed the claim in a statement to the Associated Press.
What caused the sinkhole is under investigation, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said Thursday in a Facebook post.
"City engineers and inspectors say a number of factors could have caused the pavement to collapse," Stothert said in a statement. "While the investigation to determine the cause is underway, our sewer maintenance technicians are removing the pavement to determine the full extent of the void."
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for Paste BN. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com