Graves may be exhumed due to Allentown sinkhole

Graves may be exhumed due to Allentown sinkhole

Authorities in Allentown say a sinkhole that forced residents to evacuate has spread to a nearby cemetery, threatening dozens of graves.

A judge has given Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim the right to decide if the graves should be exhumed from the Union and West End Cemetery. Grim says no decision has been made.

Fire Chief Robert Scheirer says 54 graves are threatened, most are more than a century old.

Authorities discovered a water main break yesterday morning after a resident’s basement flooded. They say it’s not yet clear what happened first, the sinkhole or the water main break.

The Morning Call of Allentown reports that about 25 people were evacuated from their homes.

No injuries have been reported. Five properties have been deemed structurally unsafe.