Huge sinkhole along I-80 in NJ caused by abandoned mineshaft
The massive 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole that opened up a major New Jersey highway Thursday was caused by an abandoned mineshaft, officials said.
Construction crews are working around the clock to repair the ginormous hole along I-80 near Exit 40 in Wharton that caused massive traffic delays a day after Christmas.
The State Department of Transportation revealed on Friday that the sinkhole was caused by “a collapse of an abandoned mineshaft” that split the earth open, shutting down several lanes of the busy highway.
“Crews will continue working around the clock to complete the repair and reopen the highway as soon as possible,” NJDOT said without specifying when the repairs would be completed.
“It is too soon to estimate a specific time because of the extensive nature of the repairs and forecasted weather this weekend,” the department added.
The sinkhole emerged Thursday morning and devoured the right shoulder and lanes of I-80, creating a gaping hole about 40 miles west of New York City.
Officials said there were no reports of injuries as a result of the sinkhole, but it caused a major traffic jam, with drivers warned to take detours through the weekend as crews work on filling the hole.
The NJDOT did not provide further details on the collapsed mine shaft that caused the sinkhole, but it’s not the first time such an incident has occurred.
In neighboring Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Pollard, 64, fell down a 30-foot sinkhole while looking for her missing cat earlier this month, with officials finding that the hole opened as a result of a collapse from an abandoned mineshaft.
The body of the missing grandmother was eventually found two days later.
