A second sinkhole has emerged on Horton Street in Wilkes-Barre, causing utility disruptions and necessitating urgent repair efforts. This latest incident comes less than three weeks after a previous sinkhole appeared in the same area, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges.
The newest subsidence, situated between Church and Warren streets, occurred this morning and has interrupted gas and water services for nearby residents. Previous issues arose just a half block away on June 25, when a similar event disrupted the community (link to previous event).
Mayor George Brown confirmed that the latest sinkhole brought about a gas leak and a water main break, necessitating the evacuation of roughly 12 individuals. “Our number one concern was to get the gas leak turned off so we could start repairing it,” Brown stated.
According to UGI Utilities spokesperson John Mason, as of 8 p.m. on Monday, gas services were still halted for 24 customers. Restoration efforts for electricity, water, and gas are underway, he mentioned. “There’s a lot of things happening there at the scene. They’re restoring electricity, they’re restoring water, and they’re restoring our gas service,” said Mason.
While gas restoration is expected to commence later Monday night, five customers may experience further delays due to significant line damage that requires assessment. The timeline for these repairs remains uncertain.
Susan Turcmanovich, a representative from Pennsylvania American Water, reported that efforts to restore water service were anticipated to conclude by Monday evening.
Mayor Brown emphasized that neither the current nor the June 25 sinkhole was associated with mine subsidences. The earlier event was attributed to the failure of a 56-inch terra cotta sewer/stormwater line under Horton Street, a line that was scheduled for immediate repairs. On June 25, this collapse partially engulfed a construction vehicle.
The reason behind Monday’s sinkhole remains unidentified, though Mayor Brown noted that repair efforts on the stormwater line were ongoing from the previous incident. It remains to be seen if the recent collapse has resulted in new damage.
Both sinkholes coincided with heavy rainstorms (link to related weather report), and the latest subsidence, which surfaced around 9:30 a.m., has compromised nearly half of the street’s width.
The area affected by the sinkhole remains closed to traffic, although Church Street is still accessible, allowing passage to Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre hospital. The incident prompted responses from utility crews, police, and firefighters, as well as Stell Enterprises, the contractor assigned to the sewer repairs.
