A video of a street in New York City that was allegedly "about to give out" has gone viral on TikTok.
The 15-second clip was posted on August 8 by Joey Bonbon (@joey.bonbon), a worker in Manhattan, and had 4.7 million views at the time of publication.
A message overlaid on the clip reads: "sidewalk literally collapsing." The footage shows a person pointing to a hole in the ground surrounded by cracks just outside an office building. The hole is located just above the Spring Street subway station, a voice says in the clip. The station is located in SoHo (short for South of Houston street), a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.
A caption shared with the latest viral clip reads: "NYC sidewalk about to give out."
The website for the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) explains that "like all infrastructure, roadways deteriorate over time due to wear and tear from use, from the weathering by heat, freezing and thawing, and precipitation."
"NYC DOT [Department of Transportation] conducts regular inspections to assess pavement conditions, and assigns ratings based on the overall condition, patching, and cracking," the DOT's website adds.
According to the DOT, there are various kinds of street defects that people often refer to as potholes that are shallow holes or cracks in the street surface, which require different levels of action. Those who spot "an unprotected street opening that could cause an accident" should contact 911 to report the issue.
"The public can help NYC DOT make a quick repair by providing specific information when they report a defect, such as the exact address whenever possible. Detailed information allows NYC DOT to repair the most dangerous defects first," the DOT advises.
In the TikTok video, a man says: "That's where I work," pointing to the door at an office building. "And that's a big a** hole," the man continues while pointing to the hole in the ground.
"And that's the Spring Street station," the voice notes, as the camera zooms in on the hole where a portion of the subway platform seems to be visible.
The camera later shakes as a person's foot appears to apply pressure on the pavement when the man says, "Yeah, it's not feeling 'oof,'" as the clip ends.
Newsweek has contacted @joey.bonbon for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
@joey.bonbon NYC sidewalk about to give out #soho #nyc
♬ original sound - Joey Bonbon
TikTok Users React
User eventhefield asked, "Why is it paper thin!!?" The original poster then replied, "AND THERES A BIGGER CRACK."
TikTok user u right wrote: "ok I'm scared for you..." while user therealcedricw noted, "Wow right above a running train."
User @astrobiii said: "Everyone under it unaware [though] it could collapse is so scary."
User @zrasey asked: "Why is there so little between the subway station and the above ground."
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Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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