Bakersfield, Calif. residents jolted awake by sinkhole

Old sewer line fails, causing 20-by-10-foot hole

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – A neighborhood street is secured in Bakersfield, Calif. after a sinkhole opened up and swallowed a parked car.

After the incident, the front end of the Cadillac could be seen sticking straight up, out of the ground.

Nearby residents told the Bakersfield Californian newspaper that their "whole house shook like an earthquake."

Bakersfield officials told the newspaper the sinkhole was caused by the collapse of an aging 36-inch sewer line that was already scheduled for repair.

The Public Works operation manager said an excavator was used to clear the area and start repairs, which could take weeks.

The Bakersfield Californian also spoke with the owner of the doomed car, who said the car was clean and had no scratches on it, though he was working to get it running again.