Crews with the Los Angeles Department of Public Works have been working around the clock to stabilize part of Iverson Road, just south of the 118 Freeway, in Chatsworth, after heavy rains Monday night caused a sinkhole.
The sinkhole, which continues to grow, is estimated to be around 40 feet deep.
A mother and her teen daughter had to be rescued and taken to the hospital Monday night after their Nissan, along with a pickup truck, fell inside the sinkhole.
The passengers in the pickup were able to escape their vehicle uninjured, but the truck landed on top of the Nissan, trapping the woman and the teen.
It took first responders with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire and Ventura Fire about an hour to pull the mother and daughter from the sinkhole in a dangerous rescue operation.
“It was a dynamic rescue,” LAFD Cpt. Erik Scott said. “The cars were shifting, moving. Firefighters did an outstanding job with the calculated rescue. We lowered ladders and ultimately did what we call a high angle rope rescue where we had our big aerial ladder truck, lower a firefighter on a rope, secure a harness, lift those people to safety.”
There’s now growing concern that the unstable terrain could give way, creating a bigger mess as more rain heads for the region this weekend.
“It’s deeper, it’s going to keep eroding away,” John Lee, Councilmember for District 12, said. “So, what we need to do, we’re expecting more rain, we have to figure out a way to divert the water. It’s still very unstable, so we need to create a bit of a slope in the front end to be able to bring the cars out.”
Officials said it will take several crews hours to remove both vehicles in order to start the cleanup process.
“But it serves as a reminder, you don’t ever want to drive across a roadway where you can’t see your pavement,” Cpt. Scott said. “This is exactly why we provide those warnings.”