PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2's Tom Regan spoke to the Dallas homeowner who said he wants city officials to fix the problem before it gets any bigger.
The sinkhole in the Vista Lakes subdivision is near the street and it's especially dangerous at night. The homeowner noticed it two weeks ago, and it's been growing wider ever since.
“I think it's just bad because kids could just fall and break their ankles," resident Brandon Ballard said.
If not for the Channel 2 Action News crews camera lights, students would have a hard time seeing the gaping sinkhole that swallowed a cable box and it now exposed underground electrical; wires and a gas line.
"Being right there for so long, no one has done anything about it. It concerns me,” student Drake Finister said.
"It looks to get about 5, 6 feet deep and then over this it curves around the and underground powers lines are exposed,” homeowner Chris Murphy said.
Murphy contacted Channel 2 Action News out of frustration. He said the city public works department told him the problem was not theirs to fix.
The gas company said the same. As for the cable company?
“All they did was adding this metal rod here, to be able to lift the box up. But once it rained, the box has fallen back into the ground. And then more of the area has opened up,” Murphy said.
Murphy told Regan there was no hole here when he moved into his house in August, but half of the sinkhole is now eating into his front yard.
Regan spoke with another neighbor who saw for the first time.
“It looks at little dangerous. I haven't noticed other sinkholes in the area so I’m surprised,” Anita Robbins said.
The homeowner told Regan he believes the city or utility providers are responsible for fixing the sinkhole. Channel 2 Action News will contact the city Monday morning to try to get some answers.
Stay tuned to WSBTV.com and watch Channel 2 Action News as we continue to follow this story.
WSBTV
