In Vancouver, Canada, the driver and passenger of a Jeep Patriot had a stroke of luck as they emerged unscathed when their SUV plunged into a sinkhole that suddenly appeared at a city intersection over the weekend.
The bizarre incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Street and West 30th Street while Katlynn Bicknell and her boyfriend Kevin were heading home. As they made the turn onto Washington Street, their vehicle struck the sinkhole, and instantly, the Jeep plunged nose-first into the water.
“It felt like the movies, like being in a movie,” Bicknell told KPTV when describing the incident. “We turned right on to Washington and as soon as we turned in, went straight into the hole like it felt like being on a roller coaster when you go down the big dip and the car just started to fill with water.”
The force of the water made it difficult to open the doors of the Patriot but fortunately, both Bicknell and her boyfriend were able to climb out of the windows. After escaping the car, Bicknell swiftly called 911 as the pair watched the Jeep sink deeper into the water.
Read: Man Drives SUV Into Sinkhole That Looks Like A Portal Into The Unknown
Local authorities quickly arrived on the scene and while speaking with reporters, revealed that a water main break had caused it. Vancouver Public Works also responded and was tasked with closing the road and repairing the sinkhole.
Incidents involving sinkholes are rare but they do happen from time to time. One of the most dramatic incidents involving a sinkhole occurred in March last year when a sinkhole opened up beneath a Toyota RAV4 in Santa Paula, California, and completely swallowed the SUV. In that case, the sinkhole is thought to have been formed after heavy rainfall caused a drainpipe to burst.
