A large sinkhole opened Thursday on the westbound Long Island Expressway near Exit 49 in Melville, partially swallowing a sedan and forcing the closure of multiple lanes that Suffolk County police said could remain shut for at least 24 hours.
Suffolk County police said the sinkhole was reported around 1 p.m. The void measured approximately 10 feet in diameter and 8 feet deep, police said.
Video footage showed the front end of a white sedan sitting squarely inside or directly adjacent to the opening.
No injuries were reported. Police said the right and center westbound lanes were closed as crews worked to repair the damage.
State Department of Transportation highway crews responded and began emergency pavement repairs.
A DOT spokesperson said motorists should consider alternate routes, including Sunrise Highway and the Northern State Parkway.
"NYSDOT highway crews are on the scene conducting emergency pavement repairs with the goal of having all lanes reopened as promptly and safely as possible," the DOT said in a statement.
"At this moment, the right and center lanes are closed, while the left and HOV lanes are open."
The sinkhole snarled westbound traffic on one of Long Island's busiest corridors on a day already marked by widespread transit disruptions, as a separate electrical fire at Penn Station earlier in the day had suspended Long Island Rail Road service into Manhattan.
A potential LIRR strike was also looming ahead of a Saturday morning deadline.
The cause of the sinkhole had not been released. Police said the lane closure was expected to last at least 24 hours as repairs continued.