Man who spotted canal leak recognized

ALBION, N.Y. (WIVB) - Nearly a month ago, a giant sink hole swallowed up a portion of road in Albion, causing a leak in the Erie Canal.

On Wednesday, officials took a break from the clean up to honor the emergency crews who were the first to respond. Among those being recognized: Rick Seaman, who first spotted the hole while doing a routine inspection.

"At one point I felt the ground shake, heard a splash and the road started to sag and I watched a car get across that before I could get out there. I'm still not sure how he has an undercarriage," Seaman recalled.

After that, he was able to flag down other cars headed right towards the hole.

Crews worked around the clock on a patch. The road repair should be finished within the next couple of weeks.