Students on a Moore County Schools bus had to evacuate after the bus partially fell into a sinkhole in Southern Pines on Thursday. Dispatchers were alerted to the incident that happened on East Ohio Avenue near Youngs Road just after 4 p.m.
Southern Pines Fire Chief Mike Cameron told Moore County News the bus had three students, an observer, and the driver on the bus at the time. The bus was traveling on East Ohio Avenue when the roadway buckled and caved in, bringing the back of the bus to the ground. The driver and observer calmly evacuated the students from the bus using the rear emergency door. No one was hurt in the incident.
Water could be seen rushing out of the hole immediately after the incident. Town of Southern Pines utility workers were able to cut off the water so that the school system to access the damage and bring in a tow truck to lift the bus from the sinkhole. Once the bus was lifted from the sinkhole, it was able to be driven away for further damage assessment.
The school system brought in a different bus that picked up the students, and continued to transport them to their destinations.
The Town of Southern Pines closed East Ohio Ave. between Youngs Road and North Ridge Street to repair the water line, and fill in the hole. Residents in the area lost water service while crews worked to repair the water lines.
