Sinkhole prompts evacuations at Altamonte Springs condo complex

No injuries reported

Article and Video Courtesy of WESH 2 NEWS

By Dave McDaniel

Published August 21, 2015

Watch VIDEO

  

Six units of an Altamonte Springs apartment complex were evacuated because of a possible sinkhole.

It opened up right next to a building at the Oasis at Pearl Lake complex.

 

Crews are working to figure out exactly what happened and how to fix it.

   

"My friend's on the phone with me, telling me she heard it on the news," said Joanne Metz, who lives a couple buildings over.

Until she got that call, Metz said she was not aware that there was a possible 10-by-10-foot sinkhole right next to the building. She lives a couple buildings over and was not one of the six units evacuated, but she is still very concerned.

"Oh my God, that's really close," said Metz.

   
It opened up Sunday afternoon. The sinkhole has not gotten bigger, and has not caused any structural damage, but neighbors are still anxious.
   

"It worried me like crazy that it's right next to my building," said Daniel Bridegroom, a neighbor.

"I'm ready to go in, take a shower get dressed, and leave for a few hours and I want to know if I'm going to have a home to come back to," Metz said.

A leasing agent said experts will guide the next move.

The city had power shut off for the six evacuated units, just in case. It's also waiting on an expert analysis.

 

Officials put up a temporary fence to keep people away from it as they evaluate what exactly it's going to take to fix it once and for all.

One expert said the hole appears stable, and that it will be inspected by the insurance company then filled with sand. If it doesn't sink any more after 24 hours, residents will be allowed back in.

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