Lake Mary resident: Tropical Storm Isaac made sinkhole grow

Sinkhole under house grows as rain hits Seminole County

LAKE MARY, Fla. – An open sinkhole underneath a Lake Mary home is growing and now the homeowners tell Local 6 their insurance company doesn't want to help them fix the problem.

Rains from the feeder bands of Tropical Storm Isaac soaked Seminole County Monday and Debbie Coffman says the sinkhole's grown. The outer edge has pushed out toward her neighbor's house and new chunks have fallen into the ground.

Coffman says a crew was supposed to come out and fix the sinkhole on Friday, but she says they just looked at it. They did make the determination that the sinkhole extends three feet toward the center of the house, which firefighters couldn't determine last week when the hole opened.

The family is staying at a hotel in the meantime after the city demmed their home unlivable, but Coffman says her insurance company told her they'll stop paying within the next week. Coffman also says the insurance company wants her to move back into the home after a temporary fix.

"They're talking about us moving back in when they put sand down there and I don't know how comfortable I am about that. At this point I think my only option is to get an attorney," she said.

Local 6 reached out to United Property and Casualty, the company who carries Coffman's policy, but an employee declined to comment. That representative did say Coffman's claim is ongoing.


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