A woman was on her way to work in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the ground literally opened up beneath her feet. She had gotten off a motorcycle and was walking while looking at her phone when she stepped on a manhole cover… but it gave way instantly and she fell straight into the hole.
The moment was captured by security cameras and went viral because of how shocking it was. The cover was not properly secured because, hours earlier, two men had allegedly tried to steal it or tamper with it. They did not take it, but they left it badly placed.
The woman, identified as Fabiana Rosa, ended up trapped inside the hole, with the water reaching up to her chest. A motorcyclist who was nearby saw her fall and ran to help her while emergency services arrived.
Fabiana suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital. She later told local media that she thought she was going to die, because the hole was deep and the cover even fell on top of her.
In the end, that is the most outrageous part: it was not just any accident. It was the consequence of someone trying to steal a manhole cover and leaving an open trap right in the middle of the street.
Watch the video: