Car falls into sinkhole

The car fell into the sinkhole covered with water due to the burst pipe in Jalan Pinang.

A MOTORIST drove into a 0.6m deep sinkhole that was filled with water in Jalan Pinang in Kuala Lumpur at 5am yesterday.

Syabas corporate affairs executive director Priscilla Alfred said the car fell into the sinkhole measuring 2m wide and 2m long.

The water, she said, was from an unreported underground pipe that had burst, causing the sinkhole.

“The car was not damaged during the incident. The driver was also reported to be fine and could drive the car out unassisted.”

Priscilla said a team was despatched to the scene immediately and water supply was disconnected to facilitate repair works.

“A total of 6m of the pipe was replaced and the road was reinstated according to City Hall’s requirement. Repair works was completed by 2pm and the road will be reopened at 5.30pm,” she said at press time.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall Public Works and Drainage Department director Datuk Tan Keng Chok said the burst pipe was a 300mm asbestos cement (AC) type, which was old.

“AC pipes were laid in the 1980s when there was not much demand for water. Times have changed and with the dense high rises in the city, the demand for water has increased.

“AC pipe may not be able to stand the water pressure due to the high demand and cause cracks and leakages, and be easily broken.

“It should be changed to other sturdier variants like the mild steel pipes,” he said.

Tan said during the road closure, traffic on Jalan Pinang heading towards Jalan Conlay and Jalan Raja Chulan was diverted to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre inner service roads to bypass the sinkhole.