San Francisco Sinkhole Video Shows Ground Open Up at Busy Intersection

A dangerous sinkhole opened up at a busy intersection in San Francisco's Financial District on Tuesday night.

According to the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) media, the sinkhole appeared at the intersection of California and Montgomery streets in the downtown area. The department wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the Department of Public Works was responding to the incident and that the intersection had been closed.

"Avoid the area," the SFFD urged residents.

Firefighters said the small sinkhole was caused by a water main break which was shooting water, at one point, 5-10 feet in the air. Crews were able to identify and shut off the pipe at the intersection.

The sinkhole appeared right next to a cable car line, though the line doesn't appear affected in images shared by the SFFD and footage shared on social media, and the cable cars appeared still able to run.

Photos shared by the fire department show San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) workers assessing the sinkhole and working to secure the road.

A motorcyclist was injured and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to Sara Stinson of KRON 4 News.

The intersection, which was closed for some time as crews worked to shut off the water pipe, has since reopened. Officials told KRON 4 News they were alerted about the sinkhole at 6:57 p.m. local time on Tuesday and the water pipe was shut off by 8:45 p.m.

According to fire department officials, the incident was due to a combination of the weather and the aging infrastructure in the city.

In a post on X, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management warned residents to "expect traffic delays, consider alternate routes, and allow for additional travel time."

"It's difficult to say, but it's likely a combination of the heavy rains, aging infrastructure, wear and tear on the roads, and a lot more traffic than we are used to," SFFD Rescue Captain Justin Schorr told KRON 4. "The Department of Public Works responded quickly and shut the pipe down. They are now monitoring for any growing dangers which they are not finding any."

In response to a request for comment by Newsweek, Justin Schorr, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, said: "At 6:58 p.m. San Francisco 911 dispatchers received calls that a motorcyclist had crashed at California and Montgomery streets. Callers also reported a sinkhole forming at the site, spraying water. Firefighters rendered aid to the motorcyclist who had minor injuries and was released soon after."

He added: "SF PUC began repairs quickly and the cause is unknown at this time. They are the lead agency for this event and will have more information."

It's not the first time that a sinkhole has appeared in the streets of downtown San Francisco. In September 2023, Newsweek reported the opening of a huge sinkhole at the intersection of Green and Fillmore streets, near Union Street's shopping district.

According to authorities, the sinkhole—which was likely more than 10 times the size of Tuesday's one—had been caused by the bursting of a 74-year-old pipe. Luckily, the incident happened around midnight on a Sunday, one of the quietest times of the week.

In response to a request for comment by Newsweek, a spokesperson for San Francisco Water Power Sewer said on Wednesday: "The repairs were completed last night, and the road was reopened then as well. A one inch tap connected to the water main was replaced in order to stop the leak. The water main on that segment of California Street is from the 1980s and did not fail, so it does not need to be replaced. We're reviewing the incident to see what was the cause of the sinkhole."

Update 1/17/24, 6:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from the SFFD.

Update 01/18/24 at 5:08 a.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from San Francisco Water Power Sewer.