In the middle of the night, a quiet street in Vomero was the scene of a dramatic collapse: a chasm opened up in the road surface of via Morghen, on the corner with via Bonito, swallowing two cars in transit and a tree.
The accident, occurred at five in the morning, saw an immediate intervention of the Fire fighters who managed to save the occupants of the cars, avoiding more serious consequences. And then a building was evacuated nearby as a precaution.
The causes that led to the formation of the sinkhole
The accident above via Morghen sheds light on critical issues related to the maintenance and resilience of urban infrastructure. Despite the sunny weather that has characterized Naples in recent weeks, the chasm suddenly opened, suggesting that the causes could lie in deeper structural problems, such as deterioration of underlying water or sewer pipes.
An eventuality that raises questions about the regularity of inspections and maintenance of city infrastructure, especially in areas with high population density such as Vomero.
The video of the post-accident
The interventions and measures adopted following the accident
The emergency response was rapid and coordinated: in addition to Fire fighters, intervened on site Local Police, 118 and the teamsABC, all mobilized to manage the consequences of the incident and ensure the safety of the area. The authorities immediately implemented a traffic device to regulate traffic in the surrounding streets, diverting the flow of vehicles and establishing a double direction of travel up Via Michetti e via Cimarosa, so as to minimize the inconvenience for residents and commuters.
The opening of the sinkhole had immediate repercussions on the daily life of the neighborhood: due to the interruption of the water supply following the collapse, three educational institutions, the Sannazaro High School, Viale delle Acacie Middle School , Caccavello Primary School, were forced to suspend lessons, leaving students and families to manage this unexpected contingency. Also the headquarters of the Municipality of Via Morghen it will remain closed until services are fully restored, a tangible sign of the profound impact of the event on the Vomero community.
#Naples, sinkhole in the street of Vomero: save yourself #vigilidelfuoco 2 people remained stranded in their car due to the collapse of the road surface, some families living in a nearby building were evacuated. Teams at work from 5 in the morning [# 21febbraio 8pm] pic.twitter.com/vmhTWFBVqo
- Fire Brigade (@vigilidelfuoco) February 21, 2024
Traffic closures and diversions
Here is an outline of the road closures and traffic diversions following the accident:
- Via Morghen: closed at the height of via Bonito.
- Diversions for cars headed to San Martino:
- Alternate route through via Morghen, via Cimarosa e Via Michetti.
- Diversions for cars coming from San Martino:
- Alternate route through Via Michetti, via Cimarosa e via Donizetti.
- Via Michetti e via Cimarosa: two-way traffic established to facilitate traffic flow.
The press release from the Municipality of Naples
At five this morning a chasm opened in the road surface of via Morghen, on the corner of via Bonito
The collapse swallowed up a tree and two passing cars; the occupants were rescued by the Fire Brigade.
A traffic device has been placed in the area:
🚦🚧 Via Morghen closed at Via Bonito. Cars headed for San Martino turn into via Morghen – Cimarosa- Michetti. The cars coming from San Martino go down via Michetti – Cimarosa – Donizetti. Via Michetti and via Cimarosa two-way.
On site, in addition to the Fire Brigade, the Local Police, 118 and ABC teams were present.
Following the interruption of the water supply in the area of the collapse, three schools were closed: the Sannazaro High School, the Viale Delle Acacie Middle School and the Caccavello Primary School. The Municipality headquarters in Via Morghen will remain closed until the water supply is restored.
City of Naples
