Shocking moment car plunges into a 12ft water-filled hole dug by workmen on a Russian city street
- The Lada plunged into a 12-foot hole in a street in the Russian city of Kursk
- Workmen had failed to adequately mark out the edge of the large crater
- Amazingly, the Lada's driver escaped uninjured and was helped by witnesses
A video shows the dramatic moment a Lada driver in Russia plunged into a 12ft deep hole filled with water from a leaking heating pipe.
Workmen were repairing the pipeline but had not left the crater badly signposted in the street in Kursk.
The driver, 25, plummeted into the hole with his car overturning before being submerged in a temperature of minus 1C.
Workers had failed to adequately mark out the edge of the large hole ahead of the incident in the Russian city of Kursk
This is the moment a Lada vanished into a 12-foot sink hole in the Russian city of Kursk
Footage of the incident shows the driver trying to swerve out of the way of the hole having spotted it at the last moment.
But his Lada skids on the slush-covered road, hitting a flimsy metal barrier in front of the roadworks, and then vanishes into the hole.
He was rescued uninjured after climbing out of the Lada and being helped out of the hole by passersby.
'I don't remember how I got out,' he said. 'But I got out myself.
Footage of the incident was published on December 20 after the driver was interviewed by local media
'At the edge of the hole, someone gave me a hand. I am all right - just shocked.'
The water had been almost boiling but by the time of the accident it had cooled, said reports.
The car was later winched out of the hole, Maxim Komarov of the city's second fire and rescue unit of Kursk said, confirming that there were no casualties in the incident.
Hot water is pumped around Russian cities to keep residential blocks and workplaces warm during the harsh winter.
Most watched News videos
- Netanyahu slams ICC prosecutor's move, alleges targeting of Israel
- Met Police on scene after woman mauled to death by XL Bully dogs
- Digging the dancing queen! Queen Silvia dances to Abba in Thailand
- Neighbour of woman mauled by XL Bully says never saw the dog on estate
- Sir Brian Langstaff: Infected Blood disaster was no accident
- 'It was chaotic': Airport statement after Singapore Airlines horror
- Moment man jumps from a boat and 'body slams' a orca in New Zealand
- Passengers carried out of flight after emergency landing in Bangkok
- Moment Brit tourist is stabbed in front of his wife in Thailand
- Queen Mary University boss confronted by pro-Palestine students
- Londoners fall prey to balaclava clad phone robbers on e-bikes
- How music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs made himself sound like a victim