ROME – A sinkhole in Naples swallowed two cars, a tree and two people in the early hours of Wednesday morning, police sources said.

 The incident occurred around 5 a.m. on Wednesday in the Vomero neighbourhood of the city. One of the cars was parked, however one of the cars was moving. Inside the car were driver Giulio delle Donne and Luca Casolla, who were returning from a party, celebrating the results of a university exam.  

 Giulio, also a municipal councillor, explained that they were driving when suddenly the ground beneath them gave way and “a tree fell, and a water pipe burst.”

 Luckily there was a military van behind them, and the military sprang into action to rescue the two men. The police and the fire brigade were also called to the scene.

 Delle Donne said “it could’ve been much, much worse” and added that him and Casolla were lucky to have lived. Seconds after the military pulled the two men out of the car, a pole and a tree fell onto the car roof. Neither of the two were injured.

 The surrounding area was also affected with 20 families being evacuated from the neigbourhing buildings and three schools closed. Two tourists were also rescued from a B&B, as several apartments on the road were flooded after the water pipe burst.

 Police are currently investigating the cause of the sinkhole. They said that at the moment it seems as if either the water main ruptured or the sewer collapsed.

 khg