Car-sized sinkhole shuts down part of McKeesport road

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — A sinkhole has shut down a portion of an Allegheny County road.

The sinkhole is in front of the McKeesport Presbyterian Church, along Versailles Avenue near the intersection with Union Avenue.

A Channel 11 photographer says the deep sinkhole is about the size of a car. It’s currently surrounded by cones and caution tape.

Road crews were not yet out at the scene when our crew was. It’s unclear how long the road will be closed.

A community member hopes the roadway will be fixed quickly.

“It could be pretty dangerous for the kids and the adults trying to get around it,” Kieona Thornton said. “And the cars trying to maneuver around it without going into it or damaging their cars in any way.”

Thornton says a metal plate has been in the road for a while, but this section that opened up is new.

“It’s definitely gotten noticeably worse,” Thornton said.

Another community member said road crews have been to this section of roadway frequently recently.

“They were here maybe a couple weeks ago fixing it,” Amber Kinkaid said. “They were here again today fixing it. I think it’s been three separate times. This is the worst that I’ve seen it that it’s caved in. It started as a smaller hole.”

McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko confirmed the city’s Public Works Department closed a portion of Versailles Avenue on Tuesday due to a sinkhole believed to be caused by a lateral sewage line owned by McKeesport Presbyterian Church.

“We are working with the church to address the true issue at hand, which is coming from their property, in order for us to be able to fix the road permanently,” Cherepko said. “We are all working to remedy this situation as quickly and safely as possible.”

The church’s lines are believed to be insured, Cherepko added.

“There are a lot of walkers, and they go to the school down the street,” Kinkaid said. “And when kids see things like this they tend to get drawn to them. Come on back. This is a main road, and we already have the bridge down the road shut off so we have to go different ways and now the parking is affected and now getting here to get our kids to and from school.”

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group