A massive sinkhole opened up on a boulevard in an upscale neighborhood of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, on Monday, swallowing a pickup truck.
The incident, which occurred on Quintero Arce Boulevard just outside the Villa Toscana subdivision on the western outskirts of Hermosillo, began when a motorcyclist fell while trying to avoid a large pothole as he drove past the Los Lagos Country Club.
Un pick up cayó en un socavón en el bulevar Quintero Arce al poniente de Hermosillo, una persona que viaja en motocicleta derrapó en la calle tras el incidente 🚗🕳️⚠️
📸Wilbert Ayala pic.twitter.com/To2p2ZcLSs
— El Sol de Hermosillo (@ElSolHermosillo) July 13, 2026
Fortunately for the biker, Alejandro Lizárraga was driving by and noticed what happened. The 57-year-old Lizárraga pulled his double-cab pickup truck to the scene of the accident and prepared to help the victim.
But before he could open the door to get out, the sinkhole opened up and the front of his truck fell into a pit that was slowly filling with water. Suddenly, he needed rescuing as well.
Passers-by used a rope to extricate Lizárraga, who then assisted his rescuers in tending to the motorcyclist.
Red Cross paramedics arrived shortly thereafter and treated the motorcyclist before transporting him to a hospital for medical attention. His condition has not been made public.
Lizárraga told the newspaper El Imparcial that the fact that he was still wearing his seatbelt when the sinkhole opened likely saved him from injury, and he remained at the scene as his truck sank deeper into the hole.
Later Monday, the Hermosillo Water Authority said the sinkhole was caused by the rupture of an aged sewer pipe.
The Public Works Department said maintenance work was carried out on that stretch of road about 10 years ago and sections of utility networks were rehabilitated at the request of the municipal government. However, the pipe — which was nearly 50 years old at the time — was not replaced.
Water Authority officials said the agency will pay for the repairs to both vehicles and will assist the two victims with any resulting medical bills.
The newspaper La Jornada reported that Hermosillo residents have been expressing concern about the city’s infrastructure after recent heavy rains softened the subsoil.
With reports from La Jornada, El Imparcial, N+ and Expreso20
