MAITLAND, Fla. – A test to determine the stability of a large sinkhole in Maitland failed Monday, according to a spokesperson with Orange County Public Works.
The sinkhole formed Friday in a section of Wymore Road, snarling traffic and leaving people who live nearby concerned about the structural integrity of roads in the area.
Darrell Moody, the spokesperson for Orange County Public Works, told News 6 Monday that crews pumped more than 20,000 gallons into the hole to determine whether the hole was retaining water.
“Their idea of putting water into it -- before actually filling it in with grout or other kinds of things to stabilize -- is to see whether it is still growing,” said Manoj Chopra, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Central Florida.
Shortly after News 6’s conversation with Chopra, Moody said all the water drained, which indicates the soil beneath has not yet stabilized.
“The entire sinkhole process is water-driven,” Chopra said.
Chopra explained that both drought conditions and heavy rain can contribute to a sinkhole opening.
“When it’s a drought, the water naturally is dropping,” Chopra explained. “And if it’s naturally dropping, you now have a drier area, and that water again is being pushed down.”
Moody told News 6 that crews will likely continue to try to fill the hole with water Tuesday to once again test its stability.