Chicago sinkhole leaves homes without water

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A huge sinkhole threatened homes on the far South Side of Chicago Monday as workers rushed to shore up the ground to prevent the hole from growing.

The sinkhole, the width of four or five cars and dropping 30 feet deep, appeared at the intersection of 124th street and Wentworth in the West Pullman neighborhood on Monday morning.

The city Water Department said the sinkhole was caused after a leaky water pipe eroded the soil, washing away the ground, breaking a water main. Water service was shut off in a two-block radius and some homes saw as much as two feet of water flooding basements.

Crews also had to remove a tree caught inside the sinkhole, but no cars were damaged and no one was injured.

"Depending on what's underneath it, we're hoping by the end of the week we should have the street repaired," said Chicago Water Department Deputy Commissioner Bill Bresnahan.