Swimming pool-sized sinkhole swallows truck in Japan, trapping driver inside

TOKYO — A truck and its driver were swallowed by a sinkhole the size of a large swimming pool which appeared at a busy intersection in the Japanese city of Yashio on Tuesday.

The crater, approximately 32 feet wide and 16 feet deep, appeared about 10 a.m. local time (8 p.m. ET Monday) Motohiro Ono, the governor of the Saitama Prefecture said at a press briefing Tuesday.

“It is thought to have been caused by a crack in the Nakagawa River Basin sewer pipe. As a result of this collapse, a passing truck fell in,” he said, adding the main focus was rescuing the driver.

Almost eight hours after the collapse, the man was still trapped inside the vehicle due to the driver’s seat being filled with sand and mud, according to the Nippon TV station, which reported that rescue teams were pumping air into the hole to give the driver oxygen.

Aerial footage from the broadcaster showed at least 12 fire trucks were on the scene in the city which sits to the north of Japan’s capital Tokyo.

Police told NHK that an investigation into what caused the sinkhole was currently underway. The driver was still conscious and capable of talking to the police earlier in the day, but the broadcaster later reported that rescuers could no longer communicate with him.

The busy intersection, lined with restaurants and local businesses, is less than a mile away from the Yashio City Hall.