With garbage tins and cones, neighbors of downtown Santa Ana prevented several cars and motorcycles from felling into a big hole that opened on the street in front of Plaza Caralco.
According to Carlos Araya, he and other neighbors watched a bulge forming in the road.
At 9:30 a.m. I told the others that something could happen here and took garbage tins that were in front of the grocery store and put them there. Another neighbor brought cones, so we warned drivers.”
However, Araya said several people ignored the signals.
A guy on motorbike ignored it and drove over it. He peered through the hole and saw he was almost in the air and then accelerated to the utmost.”
Minutes later, the asphalt gave in and left a hole where you could see trash and broken water pipe.
Municipal officials said the Santa Ana gap, of about 2 meters, occurred because people throw trash in the aqueducts, and that with the rains made the pipe yield.
They added that the hole will be repaired during the afternoon.