NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- What started as a 3-foot gap at the Norwin Hills Shopping Center has grown to a 15-foot gaping hole in the middle of the parking lot.
North Huntingdon emergency coordinator Gene Komondor said a pipe collapsed and ruptured after storms hit the region hard last Wednesday. Engineers remain concerned about additional collapses in the parking lot.
The rupture has also sent water backing up on one side of the break, causing floods near Barnes Lake. Crews pumped flood water and funneling it into a drain on the other side of the break.
WTAE Channel 4's Jennifer Miele reported that there are 350,000 gallons of water in the cracked pipe beneath the hole. That water must be drained out, and repair crews will have to dig at least 30 feet down to fix the broken pipe, which could take weeks.
A fence will be erected around the sinkhole because of the fear that people will get too close to it, and because a driver hit the temporary drainage pipe Monday night, Miele reported.
"We're trying to accommodate customers as much as possible while keeping them safe," said Ken Orie, of Gibson Thomas Engineering.
Several stores occupy the shopping center, including a gym, a furniture store, a hair salon and a pharmacy.
"People were asking if we're open. Definitely, the flow of traffic is slower than it would be," said Kathy Saengian, of the Green Mango restaurant.
Business owners told WTAE Channel 4 Action News reporter Tara Edwards that they wonder whether all of the commotion will steer customers away. Paula Michael, who owns D. Michael Hair Salon, said she'll do whatever it takes in the meantime.
"If the hole gets bigger, I'm going to be quite worried, but I think that, over here on this side of the shopping center, we should be fine, we'll have parking. If I need to, I'll shuttle people in from across the street," Michael said.
There was some speculation the whole plaza would shut down. When WTAE Channel 4 Action News contacted Lamar Companies, which owns the plaza, a representative said the plaza will remain open but had no further comment.
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