Sidewalk gives way and four people are “swallowed” by hole at bus stop in Salvador

Monday (22) started with a scare at a bus stop located on Avenida Centenário, one of the main ones in Salvador. Part of the sidewalk gave way and four people were injured after they fell into the hole. The incident happened around 6am.

Witnesses reported to the CNN, that four people were injured: a snack seller and three customers. People who were at the point helped hold the victims and prevent them from being pulled into the stream.

The crater was caused by a leak in the water pipe that supplies the Barra and Graça region, two upscale neighborhoods in the capital of Bahia. A pipe from the Baiana Water and Sanitation Company (Embasa) burst, causing the asphalt to give way on the road.

Lino Lima is one of the traders who has also worked near the bus stop for over 30 years. Excited, he stated that the snack seller lost the material he was selling and had his cart damaged, as it also fell into the hole. “I like him a lot, but despite his injuries he is fine. The worst thing will be resolving the loss at work,” he reported.

Witnesses also said that one of the victims was also a girl, who is an employee at the nearby shopping mall, and two other people who were on their way to work. They were rescued by teams from the Emergency Medical Care Service (Samu).

As a result of what happened, some residents in the region had their water service interrupted so that Embasa agents could carry out repairs.

The company said, in a note, that it completed, at the end of this afternoon, the emergency repair of the water distribution network on Av. Centenário. As a result, supply is being gradually regularized in Barra, Graça and parts of Av. Princesa Leopoldina and Morro Ipiranga.

Embasa also said that the social team is contacting injured people to monitor the medical assistance provided and compensate for losses.