Massive Sinkhole Eats a Bus Right Outside the Cincinnati Zoo

Cinci - A massive sinkhole near the Cincinnati Zoo that trapped a bus Thursday night will likely take a month to fix, according to a Metropolitan Sewer District official. The bus was partially stuck in the a 15-deep hole that spans about 15 feet wide near the intersection of Vine and Shields streets around 9:30 p.m., said Cincinnati police Lt. Tim Brown, the night chief. “It’s crazy,” he said. “It looks like the road just fell out under the bus while it was sitting at the light,” described one witness, a resident. The bus was towed overnight. A bad sewer pipe “is very likely the cause,” said Dave Rieman, MSD sewer construction inspector. “I am as close to 100 percent as you can get.” Crews with the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati were called to repair the hole, which Rieman says was caused by a pipe collapsing. He said it is the largest cave-in he has seen in 10 to 15 years. “Cave-ins are common, but not ones this big,” Rieman said. “These pipes are put together in two or three sections. Sometimes they open up a little but not collapse like I believe this one did.” Records show that the pipe is likely 101 years old, Rieman said. Workers brought replacement pipes to the site before 7 a.m. Friday. The damaged pipe runs 30 feet under the road. With the sinkhole 15 feet deep, crews will have to dig to fix the problem. Sewer service in the area is not affected, a worker said Friday morning. Rieman also said no one has reported any backups and people in the area can use all utilities. The road where the sinkhole occurred is mainly used as a turnaround for Metro buses and as an exit for one of the zoo’s main parking lots. “This is probably not the best plae for this to happen because the VA hospital and the zoo park over here,” Rieman said. “If it wasn’t for the zoo, however, it would be as prime as you could get for something like this to happen.”
 
h/t Mitch
 

Oh NO! Not the animals!! Oh the humanity! Is nothing sacred!? For the love of pandas, make this madness stop! Sinkholes can’t eat our cute ass animals, that’s just not fair. Are they protesting zoos? Was this just a warning shot? First it’s the bus outside the zoo, next time it’s meerkats? Brutal. Nothing is safe. Entire streets aren’t safe, football stadiums have been sinkhole’d, and now the zoo is under attack. This is nuts. I don’t know what to say guys. Go have yourself a weekend, because you’re next. We’re all next.