Repairs to Coventry sinkhole now complete
Residents on Sewell Highway woke up to a car sticking out of a hole on Monday.
Repairs to a hole which appeared in Coventry earlier this week has been completed.
Severn Trent have confirmed they have completed the work, after a car fell into the hole on Sewell Highway on Monday (24 July).
It is said to have been caused by one of their larger pipes bursting underground.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: "We are pleased to say that repairs are now complete at Sewell Highway, and we are now focused on getting the road back to normal and safe again to be used. It will be our priority to do this as quickly, and safely as possible and we really appreciate everyone’s continued patience as we do this."
Severn Trent Water engineers and emergency crews were called to Sewell Highway in the early hours of Monday morning, after a car was swallowed by a roughly 19ft hole.
The vehicle belonged to 20-year-old Coventry University student Agshaniya Ramesh, who is studying to become a paramedic.
She said she could see water gushing out of the pit for 2 to 3 hours where her car was stuck.
Miss Ramesh said: "Police were able to tow my car, but we’ve been told it’s a total write-off. Severn Trent told me I could claim through them, so now I’m waiting patiently for them to get back to me.
"Basically, I’m stuck – I don’t know what to do. And I don’t know what my insurance company and Severn Trent are going to say. This has never happened before. It’s quite lucky that it didn’t happen during my placement period because I would need my car to travel. Now I’m annoying my dad every day to take me to university."
The water company has been facing scrutiny, as a second hole appeared less than a mile away from Sewell Highway.
An excavation is taking place at a property on Curtis Road, which must remain open until all work is completed.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: "While our teams were carrying out a lead pipe replacement for a customer on Curtis Road, they discovered an issue with the waste network. Before work could continue, this waste issue had to be resolved by a different team, which has now been complete, along with the free lead pipe replacement.
"We’re really sorry to the customer that this affected and will be offering a gesture of goodwill to apologise for the delay, and inconvenience."
Residents on Curtis Road have been complaining about blocked toilets and a bad smell due to the ongoing work.
Mrs Cullina, who has been living there for 64 years, said the hole has been left untended.
She explained: "Its just a mess. My toilets were blocked. I’d never seen anything like. The area is nice, but the pavement… it just gets you down."
The hole on Curtis Road has been backfilled, and Severn Trent are aiming to have the road reinstated, and barriers removed as soon as possible.
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