© Michael D. Kane / MassLiveJeff Army watches as employees of Boulevard Towing pull his car from a sinkhole that opened up after 3 p.m. to day on Hastings Road.
Jeff Army was quoted a price from Boulevard Towing of $350 for the removal, or $550 if the car had to be taken if he could not pay. Since he did not have the money available, he said he was told it would be another $50 per day.
Army was asking friends for money, but said could not get enough.
"I don't have the money," Army said minutes after clearing his belongings from the car at around 6 p.m. on Friday, before returning to work. "I just lost my car."
The lower half of Hastings Road buckled and, in places, collapsed as the soil below it washed away after 3 p.m. Friday afternoon. West Boylston Street was closed briefly, but re-opened at around 5 p.m.
City Communications Specialist John Hill said no information about the water main break was immediately available, but it was expected, at 5 p.m., repairs would take a "conservative eight hours."
Army, who lives in an apartment building at the corner of Hastings Road and West Boylston Street, said his car was parked where it was every day when he was told at work about the sinkhole.
"I alternate rides with a woman I work with," he said. "Today was her day to drive, or else it would not have been there."
This article is posted in Earth Changes but it should be in the section on Economics and used as an example of how many north americans are classified as 'working poor'.