33-year-old man hospitalized after falling into Belmont sinkhole

A 33-year-old man is recovering after falling several feet into a sinkhole, leaving him underground.

News 12 Staff

Oct 25, 2020, 2:28 AM

Updated 1,500 days ago

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A 33-year-old man is recovering after falling several feet into a sinkhole, leaving him underground.
It happened in the Belmont section of the Bronx. Police say the man was standing in front of a dentist office when the sinkhole collapsed. The man fell 12 feet into the basement.
Firefighters responded to the scene to get the man out. 
The Department of Buildings issued a full vacate order for neighboring businesses, including the dentist's office, a Dunkin' Donuts shop and a bodega on the corner.
A witness who works at the Dunkin' shop had stepped out for a quick break and witnessed the man fall. 
"I see something going down but I didn't really know if it's a human being. I think it's a wall or a dog or something. It really passed so fast that I don't realize that he went down. I only hear screaming," says Sujeily Concepcion.
The man was taken to nearby St. Barnabas Hospital. Police say he suffered minor injuries to his head and is expected to be OK.
The Department of Buildings tells Newas 12 that the buidling owner has been ordered to install a construction fence immediately to prevent similar incidents.