ST. LOUIS — Crews are working to restore a water main break Wednesday that caused a large sinkhole in south St. Louis.

A six-inch water main break happened at Idaho Avenue and Blow Street. Existing erosion combined with the water main break caused the sinkhole, according to Curt Skouby, director of public utilities for the city of St. Louis.

“Normally, the water would come to the surface, but it’s found a path through the ground, either open sewer or an open cape, we don’t know,” he said.

“It’s washed away some soil, causing the sinkhole.”

One resident told Spectrum News she saw some people nearly fall into the hole. 

“If they would have waited a second later, they would have been in that hole. It shook the whole house,” the south St. Louis resident said.

The area is blocked off to traffic while crews repair the damage. Any utility repairs also will be made.

“Respect the barriers and stay away,” Skouby advised.

Replacing water mains is a concern of many St. Louisians. The city asked the public on how it should spend St. Louis’ $250 million share of the settlement from when the team left for Los Angeles. The top response was to replace water mains. 

The story has been updated to reflect clarification from city on the source of the sinkhole.