City water crews responded to Geddes Street around 5 a.m. to check on a possible leak, officials said. While crews were on scene, a driver heading north on Geddes was cut off by another vehicle and forced to drive into the leaking water, according to officials. The road then gave way, leaving the car partially submerged in the sinkhole.
The driver climbed onto the roof of his car, where Syracuse firefighters helped him to safety. Officials said no one was hurt.
Robert Brandt, commissioner of water for the city of Syracuse, described how the crash happened.
"The white car that is in the hole was heading northbound on Geddes and the car coming up the highway cut him off and the car that's in the hole drove into the water and the road gave out," Brandt said.
Because the break occurred on a smaller eight-inch water line, neighboring homes and businesses did not lose water service, officials said.
Crews must first repair a gas leak before the car can be removed from the sinkhole. After that, the city will repair the water main and begin a large-scale road restoration.
The exit from I-690 west to North Geddes Street, along with part of North Geddes Street, will remain closed until the area is deemed safe.
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