A massive 60-by-50 foot sinkhole has opened up in a Florida neighborhood.
The enormous sinkhole, which is 15-foot deep, appeared in the Oak Run neighborhood in Ocala, according to the Marion County office.
Marion County Public Information Officer Elaine McClain told ABC News today that a roadway was damaged and closed off, but no one was hurt.
McClain said that investigators had also found a 12-inch water main break.
It’s not known when the hole will be fixed, but crews told WFTV.com that the area is prone to sinkholes.
But, since no one was present in the area when the sinkhole opened up, it’s not yet known which happened first – the sinkhole or the water main break.
Marion County officials told WKMG-TV that the sinkhole may have been started by a water main break, and a second sinkhole formed after the water was turned off in the neighborhood.
She added: ‘Under normal circumstances, when a sinkhole opens, the water pipe will break, since it loses the support of the soil underneath it and can’t handle the burden of the soil on top of it.’
A Marion County building inspector is currently assessing the safety of the homes near the sinkhole.
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