Florida Sinkhole 2017: Expansion Has Stopped, Authorities Say
After a massive sinkhole consumed two homes and a boat in Florida, officials recently confirmed that the hole has already stopped growing bigger. According to reports, the sinkhole has not showed any significant expansion since the incident happened last Friday.
Measuring 50 feet deep and 250 feet wide, the sinkhole is said to be the largest in Pasco County in the last 30 years. Over the weekend, it was reported that this sinkhole had affected 11 homes in total, although it had only swallowed two.
According to Pasco County fire chief Shawn Whited, the authorities received a call on Friday about an alleged "depression" under a boat located somewhere in the back of a home in Lake Padgett Estates in Land O'Lakes, Florida. Minutes after the authorities arrived, the hole under the boat suddenly "opened up" until the boat sank.
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Kevin Guthrie, Pasco County's assistant administrator for public safety, said the active sinkhole was filled with water which failed to seep out due to the presence of debris. An investigation conducted following the incident found that the sinkhole also contained household chemicals and parts of a septic tank.
The authorities said nobody was home at the first house when they responded to the call, but fire and rescue personnel managed to save two dogs before it ultimately fell into the hole. After saving the dogs, the sinkhole reportedly started to grow fast and the ground began to gradually cave in. Three women were rescued from the second house.
Guthrie later on talked to reporters and said the incident could be considered a hazmat incident. "We're treating this, in essence, as a hazmat incident. It's probably a good thing that this sinkhole has actually been stopped up. There are a lot of contaminants in this water. It will allow us to decontaminate the area... and clear the debris out," he said.
Five of the affected houses were deemed still unsafe for entry at the time but a recovery and repair operation was already underway.
