Sinkhole Opens Up in North Hollywood

North Hollywood (myFOXla.com) - A 6-inch water main ruptured and caused a sinkhole in the Valley Village section of the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday, and a fire truck partially sank into it, but no one was hurt.

You can watch Ed Laskos' report in the video player.

The sinkhole -- only about two miles from the site of the water main rupture that flooded a portion of Studio City over the weekend -- formed at the intersection of Hartsook Street and Bellingham Avenue, just east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and south of Magnolia Boulevard.

The new rupture was reported around 5:20 a.m., said Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Rick McClure.

LAFD Capt. Steve Ruda said the fire truck was dispatched to the scene, and the driver noticed a large amount of water in the intersection and stopped.

The 42,000-pound truck was being backed out of the water when the ground gave out, leaving the back half of the vehicle protruding at a 45-degree angle. All crew members got off the truck safely, Ruda said.

The truck was pulled out of the hole by early afternoon.

Kim Hughes of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said crews were sent to repair the 6-inch cast-iron main, and about 40 water customers were affected.

It was not immediately determined what caused the latest break.

On Saturday night, a 95-year-old 64-inch pipe ruptured in neighboring Studio City. The weekend rupture sent a flood over several streets, including Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Ventura Boulevard.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the two sinkhole ruptures did not appear to be related, noting that the latest pipe to be affected was installed in 1969.

"Let me say how thankful I am that nobody was injured, that the firefighters in that truck were able to extricate themselves safely, because anybody who's gone to visit the site can tell you that could've been an absolutely horrific disaster," Villaraigosa said. "But thanks to God and their good work they were able to get out without any injury."

The mayor said the city has a five-year plan to repair and replace old pipes, but the city would need more money to make the upgrades.

"I know there are some funds to do this but it is a very expensive proposition, and as I've said on a national TV interview, L.A. is not alone in grappling with infrastructure challenges, whether they're sewers, whether they're the electric grid, whether it's our roads, highways, our bridges," he said. "They are in disrepair in big cities across the country. And one of the reasons why cities have pleaded with the federal government here is precisely because cities can't pay for infrastructure projects of this magnitude without a great, great deal of sacrifice."