Portion of road remains closed due to growing sinkhole in DeBary

A sinkhole that caused traffic issues in DeBary Friday reopened Saturday after a water pipe in the hole burst, the Florida Department of Transportation said.

The sinkhole opened on North Charles Richard Beall Boulevard and Hollow Pine Drive.

DeBARY, Fla. — The hole was 30 feet wide and 5 feet deep Friday. Officials said Monday that it has grown to 50 feet wide.

Download: WFTV mobile apps | WFTV Live Traffic Tracker

FDOT said it's unknown when the road's northbound lanes will reopen. Drivers may take East Highbanks Road to Enterprise Road to Saxon Boulevard as a detour.

“We have a bus stop. We have kids going to school, and school buses may need to be rerouted,” FDOT spokesman Steve Olson said Saturday. “We have utilities underground, plus the road itself, so there's a whole bunch of things going on here.”

TRENDING NOW:

Crews used a cone penetrometer truck to test the ground around the hole, FDOT said.

“It sends a rod 50 feet into the soil to test its stability. If the ground is stable, it could open one northbound lane on Charles Richard Beall,” Channel 9 reporter Q McCray said on Twitter.

Watch: Skywitness 9 video over giant sinkhole

According to FDOT officials, a water pipe in the hole that had no support beneath it broke, causing dirt to drop an estimated 25 feet, widening the hole.

Frustrated drivers had to cope with a detour.

"It's ridiculous. I got to drop the kids off at the babysitter and I have to get back to work," driver Eliana Claudio said.

FDOT decided to fill the hole with dirt as concerned neighbors watched from a distance.

"It's scary, because I live over here in the middle building," resident Edwin Rodriguez said.

FDOT said it will pay a contractor about $594,000 to repair the hole.

A precautionary boil water advisory is in effect through Tuesday for 95 customers who live near the sinkhole.

Resident Edwin Rodriguez said his drinking water was cloudy Monday afternoon, but it had improved hours later.

"(It looks) better, much better," he said. "You get a little worried when it's cloudy."

The county said the cloudiness is caused by minerals and sediment that was stirred up when a large pipe burst over the weekend.

Officials said the discoloration is common after such a break and isn't a health hazard.

U.S. 17/92 northbound at Hollow Pine in DeBary now closed all weekend and possibly some days next week. More work is required at a sinkhole that formed along roadway. Official detour for thru traffic is eastbound Highbanks Rd to northbound Enterprise Rd to westbound Saxon Blvd.
— FDOT District 5 (@MyFDOT_CFL) August 25, 2018

FDOT crews are back at the scene. All northbound lanes closed this afternoon at the same location https://t.co/1kNSdx2ZZH
— FDOT District 5 (@MyFDOT_CFL) August 25, 2018

NB US HWY 17/92 in DeBary at Hollow Pine is temporarily closed again today due to the sinkhole reopening.
— City of Orange City (@orangecityfl) August 25, 2018

A crew is now filling the #sinkhole with dirt. It won’t be completely repaired for days. @MyFDOT hopes to open 1 NB lane on Charles Richard Beall blvd by the afternoon rush. pic.twitter.com/fDSX9ORFYk
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) August 24, 2018

Here’s a closer look at the #sinkhole causing all the issues on Charles Richard Beall Blvd in DeBary. It’s 30ft in diameter. @MyFDOT is checking to see if the rest of the NB side of the road is safe to allow traffic to pass. pic.twitter.com/ja4CWiO8b5
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) August 24, 2018

Cox Media Group