A car with two children onboard was swallowed up in a sinkhole filled with boiling-hot water when a pipe burst suddenly, causing the ground to collapse underneath the vehicle.
Four people were reportedly injured, including one of the two kids riding in the car, when the ground opened up on Drovyanaya Street, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 5th April.
Many Russian cities have giant central heating plants that send superheated water to housing estates, and burst pipes among the ageing infrastructure are not uncommon in the country.
The driver and his 10-year-old son suffered burns and were sent to hospital, while the other child was reportedly unharmed.
Two employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations who rushed to the family’s rescue were also hospitalised with burns.
One of them was moved to intensive care with burns on over 30 per cent of his body, local media said.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “Both rescuers were sent to hospital with burns to their lower extremities.”
Phone footage filmed by unnamed witnesses shows the white SUV has been swallowed up whole by the sinkhole that is still letting off steam.
Emergency crews can be seen gathered on the side, seemingly waiting for the heat the subside before they can salvage the vehicle.
According to local reports, the giant sinkhole opened up after the hot water pipe ruptured and caused the soil and asphalt to collapse inwards.
A total of 31 emergency personnel and 11 units of special equipment are reportedly handling the massive cleanup operation.
The street has been temporarily closed off to traffic.
The Prosecutors’ Office of St Petersburg said in a statement Newsflash obtained: “The prosecutor’s office of the Admiralteisky district organised an inspection into the fact of a pipeline rupture at house 4 on Drovyanaya Street, operated by St. Petersburg Heating Network JSC.
“Currently, measures are being taken to clear up the site of the accident, while the causes of the breakthrough are being investigated.
“Employees of the prosecutor’s office of the Admiralteisky district left for the place to coordinate the actions of emergency services and control over the elimination of the consequences of the incident.”
