Sinkhole forces family of 6 to evacuate Pine Hills home, officials say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A sinkhole that opened up near an Orange County home forced a family of six to evacuate Sunday, officials said.

Firefighters and deputies responded to the home on Harrington Drive at about 4:30 p.m.

The hole, which measures about 13 feet deep and 20 feet wide, is affecting the home, investigators said.

James Holliday rents the house and has lived in it for about three years with his wife, their adult daughter and her three young boys.

“I thought I was dreaming really when I saw that big huge hole,” he said.

A county investigator reports structural damage mandated the evacuation of the house. Power to the house also had to be turned off.

A geo-technical engineer who consults for Orange County said sinkholes pop up now and then in Pine Hills, but it’s not common and he doesn’t expect this one to get much bigger.

Holliday said he’s just glad he and his family made it out safely.

“The Lord will make a way,” he said.

Orange County Fire Rescue officials said the American Red Cross is helping Holliday’s family.

Cox Media Group