- A hole opened Sunday under Farnam St. and a vacant building, sending mud behind buildings in Blackstone
- The city covered the hole with a tarp and is installing a pedestrian bridge to restore sidewalk access
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Work continues at 38th and Farnam St. after a hole opened up Sunday morning under the street and a vacant building, sending mud spreading behind buildings in Blackstone.
Kathryn Hoover, manager on duty at Cunningham's Pub and Grill, showed 3 News Now's Blackstone Neighborhood Reporter Jeremy Fredricks what the situation looks like behind the building.
"Yes, I have. The last couple of weeks when it's been pouring. I get here and I enter through the back of Cunningham's to open and there's just water flooding out of the garage in the back," Hoover said.
Hoover said that on Sunday, mud flowed from the building next door, where a hole formed under that building and Farnam St.. City officials said that building was vacant.
City Engineer Austin Rowser said there have been issues with water in the past at that site.
In a statement, Cassie Crowe with MUD said: "In late May, M.U.D. responded to concerns from the city of Omaha about soil conditions. The District performed a water test which confirmed the absence of M.U.D. water."
Attempts to reach the owners of the vacant building have been unsuccessful.
Hoover said she has not seen flooding at Cunningham's.
"No, never. never seen it flood in the basement here," Hoover said.
At Early Bird Brunch next door, Assistant General Manager Jenah Jacobson said the building does not have a basement. Jacobson said they have seen fewer customers on Tuesday because the sidewalk was closed, but the city is installing a pedestrian bridge.
"I'm super excited. That will definitely help us out," Jacobson said.
The area where the hole formed has been covered with a tarp. The city said the tarp is in place to keep people safe and limit the impacts of the weather.
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