Sinkholes across Philadelphia raising safety concerns for residents

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A growing sinkhole on Dreer Street in the Kensington section of Philadelphia has neighbors worried about safety as similar cave-ins continue to appear across the city, creating hazards for pedestrians and drivers.

Residents along the block say the hole has expanded over time. A barricade was initially placed at the site, but neighbors say it was swallowed as the sinkhole grew. Now, a single traffic cone marks the spot.

“I think it’s a big hazard. It’s a lot of foot traffic, animal traffic, somebody could fall in,” said Alexis Mozzone of Kensington.

Blake Callum, who lives nearby, said residents are concerned about how long it may take for a permanent fix.

“Are they only gonna react when someone gets hurt, or are they gonna think proactively and fix it before that?” Callum said.

The Philadelphia Water Department said the sinkhole was caused by a collapsed homeowner’s sewer and not by city infrastructure.
In a statement, a spokesperson said in part, “We are making the area safe now and have ordered an inspection ASAP.”

Attempts to reach the homeowner where the issue may have originated were unsuccessful.

Mozzone said the depth of the hole is alarming.

“As you can see it’s pretty significantly deep,” she said.

The sinkhole in Kensington is one of several that have appeared across the city in recent weeks.

Action News cameras documented a sinkhole in Nicetown on North 17th Street with a trash can inside.

Another continues to grow on Ridge Avenue in Spring Garden, and a nearby cave-in on Hamilton Street appears to have trapped a car.

“My partner, we looked at it, she was like try getting that car out and I was like, ‘I don’t think that car intends to try to get itself out,'” said Mark House of Spring Garden, who lives just steps away.

PWD said crews have been making repairs across the city throughout the winter. A spokesman said a leak on Dreer Street in December was also caused by a private plumbing issue.

Some longtime Kensington residents believe the sinkhole reflects a broader issue connected to development in the area.

“When the boom of all these new homes, construction, this now is when Fishtown is starting to see something that never happened,” said Gigi Rivera of Kensington.