BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Crews in the Bethlehem area are still working to close a sinkhole on Schoenersville Road that opened up Tuesday morning after a water main break.
The road remains closed right at the Bethlehem-Hanover Township line.
About 20 homes and businesses have been without water as crews worked on the hole in the road. A few businesses had to close for the day but one pizza shop was up for the challenge.
“I’m still working, yes, still making pizzas. We bought containers of water and we keep operating,” said Jairon Gonzalez, owner of Good Times Pizzeria.
A flurry of equipment and a giant hole in the ground outside is no match for Gonzalez’s oven.
“People want the pizzas and we’re here to make the pizzas,” Gonzalez told us.
He first knew something was wrong when he came to work on Tuesday and had no running water. He called the city’s water department which then discovered the water main break and spent hours working to stop the leak.
“When the leak occurred, it flowed underground opening up some of the voids underground,” said Edward Boscola, Bethlehem’s Water and Sewer Director.
The water flow created the sinkhole and took out the sign outside Gonzalez’s shop. He’s had two inspectors come by and report his building is safe. He was told if he had a basement, it would be another story.
“We had inspectors out here about midday today, they took a look at the foundations of the various properties around here and they didn’t see any damage. We hope to get the line fixed sometime tonight and get people back in full water service by tonight and come back tomorrow and fix the road,” Boscola stated.
In the meantime, it’s business as usual for Gonzalez. He was forced to close on Tuesday but was determined to stay open Wednesday.
“So everybody come get a pizza,” Gonzalez said.
Schoenersville Road remains closed between Illick’s Mill and Catasauqua roads.
City crews plan to repair the road Thursday morning.