Water main break causes sink hole, nearly swallows truck

SOUTH RANGE — A water main break in Houghton County leads to a sinkhole that nearly swallows a pickup truck. ABC 10’s Keweenaw Bureau Reporter Rick Allen has the details.

Trail Number Three in Houghton County is now safe again for off road vehicles. That wasn’t the case Sunday when a water main break on the trail just south of South Range over saturated the ground causing a sinkhole.

Photos Courtesy of Eddie Schutz

That sinkhole was reported to be ten to twelve feet deep, large enough to engulf the front end of a pickup truck that was driving down the trail.

The break was spilling out roughly 3,000 gallons of water per minute. No injuries were reported in the accident and crews worked to repair a 14–foot split in the water main.

The water main services residents in Adams and Portage Townships, as well as the city of Hancock. The sinkhole was then filled in with dirt and smoothed over.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says off road vehicles, including ATV’s, shouldn’t have any more problems on the trail.