A local woman found herself stuck in a large sinkhole after stopping at a stop light at a Buffalo intersection Thursday afternoon.

The sinkhole suddenly opened up underneath her van at the corner of Hertel and Colvin in North Buffalo.

Gina Hernandez tells us she was sitting at the red light, and at first thought someone hit her.

“I fell into the wheel,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t know what happened.”

Fortunately she was not hurt.

City officials say they believe the hole may have been caused by a waterline or sewer issue.

Crews put a plate over the hole and re-opened the road to traffic. Friday, workers will use a camera to look down in the hole to see what happened and what needs fixed.

The city’s senior engineer said he doesn’t believe the wet weather or aging infrastructure are to blame. Instead, he said a private contractor likely caused some damage during a repair job many years ago.

Public works officials do not see a connection between this sinkhole and others in the area.