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Florida man swallowed by sinkhole in bedroom
(CNN) —A man swallowed by sinkhole under his bedroom in Florida is believed dead, authorities said early Friday, after monitoring equipment found no signs of life.
The 36-year-old "is presumed dead" after the incident Thursday night, according to Jessica Damico, a spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Fire Department.
"It's not confirmed, but I think it's safe to presume," she said.
Engineers used monitoring equipment to search for signs of life without success. Some of the equipment went missing in the process.
"There is no evidence of him being alive," she said.
The victim cried out to his brother for help as the hole that opened up under his bedroom in Brandon, a suburb of Tampa. The brother tried frantically to pull him out.
Rescuers had to take the brother away from the edge of the chasm as it continued to grow, with the lost man nowhere in sight.
Using radar, engineers determined the sinkhole is about 100 feet in diameter, but it is not visible above ground except from inside the house.
The ground covering the massive cavity is mostly intact, but it could buckle, taking the entire house down with it -- as well as neighboring homes.
Authorities have evacuated the neighborhood.
Read more: http://www.wlwt.com/news/national/Florida-man-swallowed-by-sinkhole-in-bedroom/-/9837944/19134646/-/ypt9aaz/-/index.html#ixzz2MI5Upi19
The 36-year-old "is presumed dead" after the incident Thursday night, according to Jessica Damico, a spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Fire Department.
"It's not confirmed, but I think it's safe to presume," she said.
Engineers used monitoring equipment to search for signs of life without success. Some of the equipment went missing in the process.
"There is no evidence of him being alive," she said.
The victim cried out to his brother for help as the hole that opened up under his bedroom in Brandon, a suburb of Tampa. The brother tried frantically to pull him out.
Rescuers had to take the brother away from the edge of the chasm as it continued to grow, with the lost man nowhere in sight.
Using radar, engineers determined the sinkhole is about 100 feet in diameter, but it is not visible above ground except from inside the house.
The ground covering the massive cavity is mostly intact, but it could buckle, taking the entire house down with it -- as well as neighboring homes.
Authorities have evacuated the neighborhood.
Read more: http://www.wlwt.com/news/national/Florida-man-swallowed-by-sinkhole-in-bedroom/-/9837944/19134646/-/ypt9aaz/-/index.html#ixzz2MI5Upi19
(CNN) -- The kind of sinkhole that suddenly opened up under a Florida home is more common than you might think. Let's take a look at what causes them, where they happen and just how dangerous and costly they can be:
What causes sinkholes?
Many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil, leaving a large void that collapses when it's no longer able to support the weight of what's above, whether that be an open field, a road or a house. These are called "cover-collapse sinkholes," and it would appear this is what's happening in Florida, where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way.
Where do they happen?
Family mourns man who fell in sinkhole The science of sinkholes
Sinkholes are particularly common in Florida, which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone, according to the Florida Sinkhole Research Institute. Central Florida, including the Tampa area, is particularly known for sinkholes. In fact, Hillsborough County, where Thursday's collapse occurred, is known as part of Florida's so-called Sinkhole Alley, where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur, according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010. Other places that frequently see sinkholes include Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, the U.S. Geological Survey says.
Do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically?
No, some merely cause the ground above to sag, or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection says.
How often do they happen?
There do not appear to be any solid numbers, but the Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010. That's an average of nearly 17 claims a day, just in Florida.
How dangerous and costly are sinkholes?
Deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare, but certainly not unheard of. For instance, in 2012, a 15-year-old girl died when her family's car fell into a Utah sinkhole, according to media accounts. But the holes are enormously costly. Insurance claims submitted in Florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $1.4 billion, according the Florida Senate report.
What causes sinkholes?
Many sinkholes form when acidic rainwater dissolves limestone or similar rock beneath the soil, leaving a large void that collapses when it's no longer able to support the weight of what's above, whether that be an open field, a road or a house. These are called "cover-collapse sinkholes," and it would appear this is what's happening in Florida, where the ground beneath the home suddenly gave way.
Where do they happen?
Family mourns man who fell in sinkhole The science of sinkholes
Sinkholes are particularly common in Florida, which rests on a nearly unbroken bed of limestone, according to the Florida Sinkhole Research Institute. Central Florida, including the Tampa area, is particularly known for sinkholes. In fact, Hillsborough County, where Thursday's collapse occurred, is known as part of Florida's so-called Sinkhole Alley, where two-thirds of insurance claims for sinkhole damage occur, according to a report prepared for state lawmakers in 2010. Other places that frequently see sinkholes include Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, the U.S. Geological Survey says.
Do all sinkholes collapse so dramatically?
No, some merely cause the ground above to sag, or result in small ponds or saltwater marshes, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection says.
How often do they happen?
There do not appear to be any solid numbers, but the Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance reported that insurers had received 24,671 claims for sinkhole damage in that state alone between 2006 and 2010. That's an average of nearly 17 claims a day, just in Florida.
How dangerous and costly are sinkholes?
Deaths and injuries from sinkholes are rare, but certainly not unheard of. For instance, in 2012, a 15-year-old girl died when her family's car fell into a Utah sinkhole, according to media accounts. But the holes are enormously costly. Insurance claims submitted in Florida alone between 2006 and 2010 totaled $1.4 billion, according the Florida Senate report.
No, I didn't think you were making fun..it was the title of the post that made me wonder.
Sinking into the sea, really? I have always heard that California loses inches every year to the sea and that in an severe earthquake it is in danger of going into the sea.
Definitely worth looking into...
Sinking into the sea, really? I have always heard that California loses inches every year to the sea and that in an severe earthquake it is in danger of going into the sea.
Definitely worth looking into...
I think really it's that the land in Florida and Louisiana is sinking into the sea - both are similar and marshlands. And dont make a mistake NYC / NJ suffered badly this year so I'm not making fun in any way...
I'm not scientist though ;)
I'm not scientist though ;)
Fracking?
Omg, I hope not. Dsert or Hrspwr need to chime in here and tell us if this could be the reason.
As soon as I saw the post I looked to who posted it as I was sure it was another one of Teko's snow thingy's or stir fry recipes :), but sadly it is true and the poor guy actually died. Very strange.
Omg, I hope not. Dsert or Hrspwr need to chime in here and tell us if this could be the reason.
As soon as I saw the post I looked to who posted it as I was sure it was another one of Teko's snow thingy's or stir fry recipes :), but sadly it is true and the poor guy actually died. Very strange.
PS Maybe not fracking but something is going on....
I think it's cause of fracking or something because man oh man there have been a LOT of them in the news - and those are just the ones we hear about. I never even heard about the one in LA!
. What is Strange about this is, the same thing is happening to us here in La
I’m curios, has anyone else read/heard about the Sink Holes in La (there have been more since August)?
Mysterious Louisiana Sinkhole Raises Concerns of Explosions and Radiation
A nearly 400-foot deep sinkhole in Louisiana has swallowed all of the trees in its area and enacted a mandatory evacuation order for about 150 residences for fear of potential radiation and explosions.
The gaping hole has a diameter of 372 feet. It is in Assumption Parish, La., about 50 miles south of Baton Rouge.
The sinkhole sits in the middle of a heavily wooded space where it has consumed all of the soaring cypress trees that had been there. Flyover photos show some of the treetops still visible through the mud.
Authorities enacted a mandatory evacuation for between 100 and150 homes in the area, but most people have chosen to stay, according to the Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness. If any of the dangers seem to become more imminent, the order will be escalated to a forced evacuation.
While officials are not certain what caused the massive sinkhole, they believe it may be have ben caused by a nearby salt cavern owned by the Texas Brine Company.
After being used for nearly 30 years, the cavern was plugged in 2011 and officials believe the integrity of the cavern may have somehow been compromised, leading to the sinkhole.
On Thursday, Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources required that Texas Brine drill a well to investigate the salt cavern as soon as possible, obtain samples from the cavern and provide daily reports on their findings. It could take up to 10 days to set up the drilling process, even with an expedited process.
"We have to arrange for the driller. We have to pick a location. We have to be very careful to not be in a point that's too close to the sinkhole because of the weight of the rig," Texas Brine Company spokesman Sonny Cranch told ABCNews.com today. "We don't want to aggravate the situation."
The sinkhole is on the outside edge of the salt dome where this particular brine well is located.
"There are some indications that it very well may have been connected, but there's just indications," Cranch said. "There's nothing concrete that has connected the sinkhole to the cavern."
There was bubbling in the water and the sinkhole is near areas where there has been exploration for oil and gas in the past, which would make the presence of low levels of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) possible.
The state's Department of Environmental Quality said water samples from the sinkhole showed oil and diesel on its surface, but initial readings did not detect radiation.
In the days after the sinkhole opened up on Aug. 3, nearby Highway 70 was closed down because officials discovered that the sinkhole caused a 36-inch natural gas pipeline to bend and feared the possibility of an explosion, according to ABC News' Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ.
"That's why the mandatory evacuation is going to stay on, because there is a risk for explosion," John Boudreaux of from Assumption Parish Emergency Preparedness said at a meeting with residents on Tuesday, WBRZ reported.
"We are determined to do everything we can to find the answer," president of Texas Brine Mark Cartwright told the residents.
Some community members were visibly frustrated with the situation and lack of answers.
"You can give us a straight answer because that's all we want," one woman said at the meeting. "We want to know when we can come home and be safe. Because you all go home after a days work. You're safe, but we're not."
Gov. Bobby Jindal issued a declaration of emergency allowing the Governor's Office of Homeland Security to assist in the efforts if necessary.
"This is extremely serious and it's been going on for too long to still be at this point," Kim Torres, spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Preparedness, told ABCNews.com today. "The people are very aware of how serious this is."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/mysterious-louisiana-sinkhole-raises-concerns-explosions-radiation/story?id=16978072
I’m curios, has anyone else read/heard about the Sink Holes in La (there have been more since August)?
Mysterious Louisiana Sinkhole Raises Concerns of Explosions and Radiation
A nearly 400-foot deep sinkhole in Louisiana has swallowed all of the trees in its area and enacted a mandatory evacuation order for about 150 residences for fear of potential radiation and explosions.
The gaping hole has a diameter of 372 feet. It is in Assumption Parish, La., about 50 miles south of Baton Rouge.
The sinkhole sits in the middle of a heavily wooded space where it has consumed all of the soaring cypress trees that had been there. Flyover photos show some of the treetops still visible through the mud.
Authorities enacted a mandatory evacuation for between 100 and150 homes in the area, but most people have chosen to stay, according to the Mayor's Office of Emergency Preparedness. If any of the dangers seem to become more imminent, the order will be escalated to a forced evacuation.
While officials are not certain what caused the massive sinkhole, they believe it may be have ben caused by a nearby salt cavern owned by the Texas Brine Company.
After being used for nearly 30 years, the cavern was plugged in 2011 and officials believe the integrity of the cavern may have somehow been compromised, leading to the sinkhole.
On Thursday, Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources required that Texas Brine drill a well to investigate the salt cavern as soon as possible, obtain samples from the cavern and provide daily reports on their findings. It could take up to 10 days to set up the drilling process, even with an expedited process.
"We have to arrange for the driller. We have to pick a location. We have to be very careful to not be in a point that's too close to the sinkhole because of the weight of the rig," Texas Brine Company spokesman Sonny Cranch told ABCNews.com today. "We don't want to aggravate the situation."
The sinkhole is on the outside edge of the salt dome where this particular brine well is located.
"There are some indications that it very well may have been connected, but there's just indications," Cranch said. "There's nothing concrete that has connected the sinkhole to the cavern."
There was bubbling in the water and the sinkhole is near areas where there has been exploration for oil and gas in the past, which would make the presence of low levels of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) possible.
The state's Department of Environmental Quality said water samples from the sinkhole showed oil and diesel on its surface, but initial readings did not detect radiation.
In the days after the sinkhole opened up on Aug. 3, nearby Highway 70 was closed down because officials discovered that the sinkhole caused a 36-inch natural gas pipeline to bend and feared the possibility of an explosion, according to ABC News' Baton Rouge affiliate WBRZ.
"That's why the mandatory evacuation is going to stay on, because there is a risk for explosion," John Boudreaux of from Assumption Parish Emergency Preparedness said at a meeting with residents on Tuesday, WBRZ reported.
"We are determined to do everything we can to find the answer," president of Texas Brine Mark Cartwright told the residents.
Some community members were visibly frustrated with the situation and lack of answers.
"You can give us a straight answer because that's all we want," one woman said at the meeting. "We want to know when we can come home and be safe. Because you all go home after a days work. You're safe, but we're not."
Gov. Bobby Jindal issued a declaration of emergency allowing the Governor's Office of Homeland Security to assist in the efforts if necessary.
"This is extremely serious and it's been going on for too long to still be at this point," Kim Torres, spokeswoman for the Office of Emergency Preparedness, told ABCNews.com today. "The people are very aware of how serious this is."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/mysterious-louisiana-sinkhole-raises-concerns-explosions-radiation/story?id=16978072
(Meanwhile, in Florida)
Getting a sinking feeling, in the pit of my stomach, after reading that.
The hole story kinda makes you think,
Getting a sinking feeling, in the pit of my stomach, after reading that.
The hole story kinda makes you think,
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