MALIBU—On Saturday, February 2, a massive sinkhole emerged on Yerba Buena Road, engulfing an excavator and its operator.
Operator Gilbert Beltran told CBS LA, “I felt something weird. I thought I got a flat.” Beltran was clearing debris and mud from the road at the time. The road was in an area that was damaged by the Woolsey Fire of November 2018.
Beltran was safety able to exit the vehicle and the sinkhole without any injury. CBS LA reported that after Beltran climbed out of the excavator, the 20-foot front loader sunk deeper into the hole and buried everything but the bucket, which remained visible above the surface.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office reported that Yerba Buena Road is impassable north of Yellow Hill. Motorists have been warned to avoid the area. The road will remain closed for an unknown amount of time.
