NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – On Thursday May 17, 2018 a Pothole Killer" truck was filling pothole in the City when it was used to fill a huge pothole (sink hole by itself).
Now on Friday May 18, 2018 the "Pothole Killer" truck was back up and running in Niagara Falls, one day after a sinkhole caused it to partially fall into the ground.
"That's the running joke right now," said Ed Jones, who was driving the truck at the time. "The pothole killer got taken out by a pothole. I like to say the pothole killer is still standing."
Jones was operating that truck on 16th St. Friday. A few blocks over, at the intersection of South Ave. and 18th St., a pothole opened into a sinkhole Thursday as he was stopped on top of it.
"When I stopped completely to do the patch, I heard a sound," Jones explained. "With that sound, I saw my truck going down into the hole. Once it went down into the hole it kind of went halfway a little. I thought that was the end. But then it continued to go down to the point where it was in there pretty good, where I could stretch out my hands and touch the ground."
According to Niagara Falls Director of Parks and Public Works John Caso, the sinkhole opened because of a water main break beneath it. That was repaired Thursday night, and concrete was then laid down where the sinkhole opened.
Crews are expected to pour blacktop over it on Monday, according to Caso.