Corvette fans may want to look away. A massive sinkhole opened up beneath the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, swallowing eight of the cars on display.
Museum officials said no one was in the museum at the time of the collapse, which triggered an alarm system early Wednesday morning. The sinkhole appeared to be about twenty feet deep, and opened up under a domed section of the museum where the cars had been displayed on pedestals.
The cars were among some of the most coveted by admirers of the popular sports car. Among the cars affected:
- 1993 ZR-1 Spyder on loan from General Motors
- 2009 ZR1 "Blue Devil" on loan from General Motors
- 1962 Black Corvette
- 1984 PPG Pace Car
- 1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette
- 1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette
- 2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette
- 2009 White 1.5 Millionth Corvette
The museum plans to remain open, though the domed area where the damage occurred has been cordoned off. A structural engineer has been called to assess the damage and test stability of the surrounding areas.
The dome is part of the original museum, begun in 1992 and completed in 1994. The museum will celebrate its 20th anniversary in September.