LAND O’LAKES, Fla. (AP) – Even though a Florida sinkhole hasn’t grown in several days, officials said that the debris-strewn site is still considered dangerous and that residents of five homes remained evacuated Tuesday due to the dangers.
“The sinkhole is not growing anymore … but still dangerous conditions exist out here,” said Kevin Guthrie, Pasco County’s assistant administrator for public safety. “It’s basically moving like into a construction and demolition site.”
The sinkhole opened up Friday and grew to 225 feet (68 meters) wide and 50 feet (15 meters) deep, taking with it two homes, septic tanks and a boat. No one was injured.
Guthrie said there was no toxic release into the air so the main environmental concern is the long-term effects, if any, of debris to the water supply in the neighborhood north of Tampa.
“It’s going to be my goal to have all of that stuff taken out of the hole,” Guthrie said at a news conference. “However, I know there have been some other practices across the state, and across the country, when you just fill it in and go from there.”