Large sinkhole opens in Winter Park

Orange County home deemed unsafe

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Insurance adjusters and geo-technicians spent Wednesday morning at the scene of a large sinkhole that opened in the backyard of a Winter Park home.

The hole, which measures 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep, swallowed a swimming pool when it opened late Monday night. No one was injured.

Orange County building inspectors declared a two-story home at 2300 Roxbury Drive and a utility shed "unsafe" to occupy as a result.

On Wednesday, inspectors said the dirt surrounding the hole appeared to have stabilized and filled with water. That's good news for the people who live around the crater, who feared it may grow and swallow their homes.

Crews were expected to arrive as soon as Wednesday afternoon to begin filling the hole with dirt and cement, pulling apart the swimming pool as they go.

Homeowner Joanne Rogers surveyed the damage to her backyard on Wednesday. She lives next door to the home with the pool.

A hole ate up a good section of her fence, grass and plants Monday night, sparing a shed built years ago by the original owner.

Complete with 2 skylights and a double roof, it's now deemed unsafe by county inspectors, tetering on the edge of a crater.

What caused the hole remains a mystery. Some believe it could be a basic Florida sinkhole. Still, some neighbors believe heavy drilling happening right across the street may have played some part in loosening the ground.

County inspectors said they were watching the changing weather patterns expected for Central Florida as a tropical disturbance rolls ashore and sends possible flood conditions into the state.

Rogers says she's willing to pay whatever her homeowner's insurance won't pay, but she didn't want to lose her banana plants. She spent much of the afternoon salvaging what she could -- hoping to plant them in a newer more secure patch of land in a newer backyard.

Stay with Local 6 News and ClickOrlando.com for updates.Insurance adjusters and geo-technicians spent Wednesday morning at the scene of a large sinkhole that opened in the backyard of a Winter Park home.

The hole, which measures 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep, swallowed a swimming pool when it opened late Monday night. No one was injured.

Orange County building inspectors declared a two-story home at 2300 Roxbury Drive and a utility shed "unsafe" to occupy as a result.

On Wednesday, inspectors said the dirt surrounding the hole appeared to have stabilized and filled with water. That's good news for the people who live around the crater, who feared it may grow and swallow their homes.

Crews were expected to arrive as soon as Wednesday afternoon to begin filling the hole with dirt and cement, pulling apart the swimming pool as they go.

Homeowner Joanne Rogers surveyed the damage to her backyard on Wednesday. She lives next door to the home with the pool.

A hole ate up a good section of her fence, grass and plants Monday night, sparing a shed built years ago by the original owner.

Complete with 2 skylights and a double roof, it's now deemed unsafe by county inspectors, tetering on the edge of a crater.

What caused the hole remains a mystery. Some believe it could be a basic Florida sinkhole. Still, some neighbors believe heavy drilling happening right across the street may have played some part in loosening the ground.

County inspectors said they were watching the changing weather patterns expected for Central Florida as a tropical disturbance rolls ashore and sends possible flood conditions into the state.

Rogers says she's willing to pay whatever her homeowner's insurance won't pay, but she didn't want to lose her banana plants. She spent much of the afternoon salvaging what she could -- hoping to plant them in a newer more secure patch of land in a newer backyard.

Stay with Local 6 News and ClickOrlando.com for updates.Insurance adjusters and geo-technicians spent Wednesday morning at the scene of a large sinkhole that opened in the backyard of a Winter Park home.

The hole, which measures 50 feet wide and 30 feet deep, swallowed a swimming pool when it opened late Monday night. No one was injured.

Orange County building inspectors declared a two-story home at 2300 Roxbury Drive and a utility shed "unsafe" to occupy as a result.

On Wednesday, inspectors said the dirt surrounding the hole appeared to have stabilized and filled with water. That's good news for the people who live around the crater, who feared it may grow and swallow their homes.

Crews were expected to arrive as soon as Wednesday afternoon to begin filling the hole with dirt and cement, pulling apart the swimming pool as they go.

Homeowner Joanne Rogers surveyed the damage to her backyard on Wednesday. She lives next door to the home with the pool.

A hole ate up a good section of her fence, grass and plants Monday night, sparing a shed built years ago by the original owner.

Complete with 2 skylights and a double roof, it's now deemed unsafe by county inspectors, tetering on the edge of a crater.

What caused the hole remains a mystery. Some believe it could be a basic Florida sinkhole. Still, some neighbors believe heavy drilling happening right across the street may have played some part in loosening the ground.

County inspectors said they were watching the changing weather patterns expected for Central Florida as a tropical disturbance rolls ashore and sends possible flood conditions into the state.

Rogers says she's willing to pay whatever her homeowner's insurance won't pay, but she didn't want to lose her banana plants. She spent much of the afternoon salvaging what she could -- hoping to plant them in a newer more secure patch of land in a newer backyard.

Stay with Local 6 News and ClickOrlando.com for updates.


About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013 and became an Investigator in 2020. During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

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