Car crashes into hydrant, creates sinkhole outside house
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque couple is homeless after a massive sinkhole opened up in front of their house.
It happened early Sunday after a driver mowed over a fire hydrant on the sidewalk in front of the couple’s home.
“The fire hydrant broke and the water was shooting straight under the house and that’s what created that big sinkhole,” said Jorge Ramon.
Ramon and his wife just moved into the rental home near the Petroglyphs National Monument at Western Trail and Unser Boulevard Northwwest in October.
According to a spokesperson with the ABC Water Utility Authority, it is confirmed this is the result of a car running into the fire hydrant outside the house.
The couple said they heard a big bang around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, but didn’t think anything of it. Then they were awakened by firefighters banging on the door to get them to evacuate the house.
“I think it’s a miracle that the slab is still there because none of our contents had fallen down. I thought everything would be in the hole,” Ramon said.
The couple said nothing inside was destroyed, but the house itself is believed to be a total loss. They will be carefully removing their belongings over the next several days.
The couple has family they can stay with until they find other lodgings.
The Albuquerque Police Department said they don’t have any information about the car that caused the mess.