PETERSBURG, Va. — Homeowners in a Petersburg neighborhood are raising concerns about delays to first responders caused by the closure of Oak Hill Road, which has been closed since early 2022 due to road damage.
Residents told CBS 6 they worry the detour, which adds nearly four minutes to response times, could hinder emergency services.
The issue became particularly poignant this past weekend when a man visiting family died after suffering an apparent heart attack.
Family members say the incident highlights the urgent need for repairs to the Oak Hill Road bridge.
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday during a birthday celebration for Shelley Sullins, when a friend of the family was found unresponsive in his car.
Watch: Neighbors 'beyond frustrated' 3 years after sinkhole closed bridge
The family called 9-1-1 at 6:24 p.m.
"My brother-in-law and God sister doing CPR while I’m on the phone making sure, staying on the phone till the EMT gets here," Alan Sullins said.
A fire engine reached the scene seven minutes later, and the ambulance arrived one minute after that.
Despite the swift response, family members say the detour caused by the closed road contributed to valuable time being lost.
"We heard them, they were close, then all of a sudden, they started becoming fainter and so that meant they had to go up the street and all around to finally get here," Shelley Sullins said.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene 15 minutes after the 9-1-1 call.
Residents, frustrated by the delay in repairs, have called on city officials to act more quickly to reopen the road.
"We don’t know if that was a factor or not, it was all in God’s hands this weekend, whether the man would have survived or not but like I said, those minutes, we rather would have had those minutes to see rather than to question it now," Alan Sullins said.
Watch: Neighbors demand 'concrete answer' nearly 3 years after sinkhole closed Petersburg street
"The people who came to take care of the situation, they were great. But the time factor is the problem," Shelley Sullins added.
In a report from CBS 6 senior reporter Wayne Covil in July 2024, city officials said they are still seeking state and federal funding to replace the damaged bridge. Efforts to secure funding through the Virginia General Assembly in 2023 and 2024 were unsuccessful.
Petersburg city leaders confirmed that they will continue to pursue state and federal funding and will include the project in their funding request to the General Assembly in 2025. The replacement of the Oak Hill Bridge is also part of the city’s five-year capital improvement budget.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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