In a heart-stopping incident that brought chaos to a central London street, a massive sinkhole opened up directly outside a major hospital, dramatically swallowing a car in a deluge of water and mud.
The terrifying moment was captured on video, showing the tarmac suddenly giving way to create a cavernous pit filled with murky water. The sinkhole, estimated to be several metres wide, appeared on Aylesford Street outside the prestigious private Clementine Churchill Hospital in the Marylebone area.
A Sudden Collapse
Shocking footage shows a white Vauxhall Mokka SUV parked innocently on the roadside one moment, and vanishing into the earth the next. The vehicle is seen tilting precariously before being completely consumed by the collapsing road surface and the torrent of water that followed.
Eyewitnesses described the sound of the collapse as a loud rumble, followed by the sight of the car disappearing. The incident prompted immediate emergency response, with the London Fire Brigade dispatching multiple units to the scene.
Emergency Response and Safety
Thankfully, the vehicle was unoccupied at the time of the collapse, and no injuries have been reported. A cordon was swiftly established around the dangerous cavity to protect pedestrians and other motorists.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed their crews worked to make the area safe. "We were called at 3:07pm to reports of a sinkhole on a road. A car was involved in the collapse. The brigade made the scene safe and cordoned off the area," the statement read.
Cause and Aftermath
While the exact cause of the sinkhole is under investigation, initial reports from the scene and utility companies suggest a ruptured water main may be to blame. The force of the escaping water is believed to have eroded the ground beneath the road, causing the sudden and catastrophic collapse.
The incident has caused significant disruption in the area, with road closures expected to remain in place for some time as engineers assess the damage and begin complex repair works to stabilise the ground and restore the road.
