A bus that was partially swallowed when a sinkhole opened during morning rush hour in downtown Pittsburgh has been removed from the hole.
On Monday, two cranes removed the city bus. The city's official Twitter account later posted a video of the removal.
And it’s out! Just before 10 p.m. Allegheny Crane & Rigging successfully removed the @PGHtransit bus from Tenth St. at Penn Avenue. Please still avoid the area while work is being completed. pic.twitter.com/pWIEdulzF8
— Pgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) October 29, 2019
Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich says the bus was sitting on three power lines, two of them 22,000-volt lines. He said there are also fiberoptic cables, and damage to them could affect communications in the tri-state area.
Officials say it will take about eight weeks to complete repairs on 10th Street between Penn and Liberty avenues Downtown where the sinkhole opened up.
The city said Tuesday that a contractor was removing concrete and debris from the hole, and utilities will work on securing fiberoptic lines there. The city's water and sewer authority will then check for damage to water, sewer and storm lines.
After repairs are made, the sinkhole will be partially filled, a concrete layer poured, and sidewalks and curbs repaired.
The driver was uninjured in the Monday morning rush hour incident; the lone passenger was treated at a hospital.
