Rome sinkhole swallows cars and evacuates buildings

  • Ground collapsed at around 5.30pm local time in Rome’s Baldunia neighbourhood, north west of the capital
  • Six parked cars were engulfed in the sinkhole and 20 families were evacuated as a precautionary measure
  • No one was injured and the cause of the collapse is unclear but builders were working on the road last month 

A huge 30ft sinkhole swallowed six cars and saw 20 families flee their homes in a residential area of Rome today.

The gigantic ground collapse happened at around 5.30pm in the Italian capital’s Baldunia neighbourhood, between via Livio Andronico and via Lattanzio. 

Dramatic images show the extent of the road damage after the surface spontaneously crumbled.  

A huge 30ft sinkhole swallowed at least six cars and saw 20 families flee their homes in a residential area of Rome today

The gigantic ground collapse happened at around 5.30pm in the Italian capital's Baldunia neighbourhood, between via Livio Andronico and via Lattanzio, swallowing parked cars and evacuating around 20 buildings 

The gigantic ground collapse happened at around 5.30pm in the Italian capital’s Baldunia neighbourhood, between via Livio Andronico and via Lattanzio, swallowing parked cars and evacuating around 20 buildings 

Two fire squads were scrambled to the scene in the north west of Rome, blocking off the road and ordering the evacuation of around 20 households as a precautionary measure. No one was injured and residents will be put up in hotels, the Mayor said

Two fire squads were scrambled to the scene in the north west of Rome, blocking off the road and ordering the evacuation of around 20 households as a precautionary measure. No one was injured and residents will be put up in hotels, the Mayor said

Two fire squads were scrambled to the scene in the north west of Rome, ordering the evacuation of around 20 households as a precautionary measure. 

No one was injured and the families will be put up in hotels if they can not get back in tonight, Mayor Virginia Raggi told Roma Today. 

Workers carried out repairs in the area between January 25 and 28 after a large water spill. The area is also being developed for new housing.  It is not known exactly why the collapse happened.   

Workers carried out repairs in the area between January 25 and 28 after a large water spill.  But it is not known exactly why the collapse happened. The neighbourhood is also being developed for new housing.

Workers carried out repairs in the area between January 25 and 28 after a large water spill. But it is not known exactly why the collapse happened. The neighbourhood is also being developed for new housing.

Pictures show the extent of the damage after the ground spontaneously fell in, sending cars plunging downwards 

Pictures show the extent of the damage after the ground spontaneously fell in, sending cars plunging downwards 

The sinkhole opened up parallel to a building site in Baldunia, north west Rome, which is being developed for new housing  

The sinkhole opened up parallel to a building site in Baldunia, north west Rome, which is being developed for new housing  



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk