Republic Services truck drops into Yuma sinkhole, no injuries reported

A Republic Services waste truck dropped into a sinkhole in Yuma around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, shutting down the parking lot where it fell and sending Yuma Public Works and the Yuma Police Department to the scene.

The driver told responders the truck suddenly felt as if the load had shifted to one side or one tire had gone flat before the vehicle sank into the hole. No injuries were reported, and officials said there was no other damage tied to the incident. The lot was closed as a precaution while crews assessed the area.

The collapse is the latest reminder of how quickly underground failures can disrupt daily activity in Yuma. Even a single sinkhole can block access to businesses, force traffic detours, and pull city crews away from other work while they evaluate what gave way beneath the pavement.

Yuma has dealt with similar problems before. In January, the city closed 32nd Street and Fourth Avenue after a sinkhole opened there, and city sewage workers described that hole as about 20 feet deep. In April, Avenue B was closed after flooding and a sinkhole formed following a water main break near West 24th Street and South Avenue B.

City of Yuma Utilities said that Avenue B break involved a six-inch asbestos cement water line installed in the early 1980s, and about 20 workers, including city crews and support contractors, were on-site for repairs. That earlier failure underscores how aging underground infrastructure can surface without warning and create immediate safety risks above ground.

Yuma County Public Works says its responsibilities include highway maintenance, waste management, and safety and traffic control, a reminder of how many public agencies can be pulled into the response when a sinkhole threatens a roadway or access point. For now, the truck incident remains under investigation, and the closed lot leaves another visible sign of the pressure old infrastructure can place on daily life in Yuma.