HOLIDAY, Fla. (WFLA) — It certainly was not the news Alice Hammond wanted to hear while vacationing in New York. She found out a sinkhole opened under her home on Genesis Avenue in Holiday.
The sinkhole measures roughly 30 feet across and 15 feet into the ground. It stretches underneath Hammond’s lanai. The hole has stopped growing, officials said.
News Channel 8 talked with Hammond. The 71-year-old grandmother is brokenhearted to hear about the sinkhole. “Everything,” she cried, speaking by phone from New York. “That’s all I have. My home has everything in it.”
A photo of Hammond revealed eyes laden with disappointment and filled with tears.
She is currently stranded in New York, where she was in a car accident while visiting her children.
Meanwhile, in Pasco County, Hammond’s white house on the corner, with the screened-in front porch and bright blue shutters, is surrounded by yellow and red emergency crime scene tape. A neon orange warning sign is posted on her front door. While the house hasn’t been condemned, it isn’t considered safe to enter. Those who do so, enter at their own risk, according to emergency crews.
Geologists were called to the scene Tuesday morning to survey the damage. They gave Hammond the news she didn’t want to hear: The hole discovered Monday had officially been declared a sinkhole. And it needs to be fixed.
“I’m just very, very upset and nervous about it; worried about that big sinkhole,” Hammond said. “I want to hurry up and get it taken care of before somebody goes over there and gets hurt or something.”
“This is always scary,” said Kevin Guthrie from Pasco Emergency Services. “The good news is the sinkhole has stopped growing.”
However, the house isn’t out of the woods just yet.
“This home is literally 6 to 12 inches from falling into Mother Earth,” Guthrie said.
He originally hoped measures could be taken quickly to help stabilize the property. In fact, Guthrie suggested dirt used for sandbags in Tropical Storm Colin be used to fill in this sinkhole. “I am calling the county to see if we can facilitate that today. No lives are in immediate danger, but we want to make sure the house is structurally sound,” he said.
Ultimately, Guthrie was told that wouldn’t work. Since this is private property, no taxpayer money or supplies can be used to fill in the sinkhole.
“Our hands are tied. We can’t use county resources. We wanted to help,” Guthrie said.
Hammond admits she doesn’t have sinkhole insurance. She advises those living in the neighborhood to get it as soon as possible.
“Oh yes, I’ve told all my friends; I’ve called. I told them, ‘Get it.’ Cause none of them got it,” she said.
Hammond is hoping to get home soon but she doesn’t have a working car.
Meanwhile, a neighbor talked with News Channel 8.
“I’m really sad for her. I feel bad, you know.” George Gianaros said. “Around here, it’s worth it (to get sinkhole coverage) because there’s been about six sinkholes in this development that have opened up. So, I would highly recommend that you have flood insurance around here and sinkhole coverage.”