POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Scott Lake Road in Lakeland is still closed Saturday night after a large sinkhole opened up in the area.
“There are a lot of sinkholes in Lakeland and in this area, so, not surprising,” said Christopher Gutierrez, who’s president of one of the homeowners’ associations in Lakeland. “It was kind of shocking how fast it opened and it kept growing and growing,” Gutierrez continued.
Polk County on Friday closed the portion of Scott Lake Road between Fitzgerald Road and Old Scott Lake Road as a precaution. At last measure, the sinkhole is 75 feet across and about 120 feet deep.
“I was surprised because I walk to school that way, and I didn’t know there was going to be another one. I mean, it looked dangerous, too. It looks a lot bigger than I thought they were,” said Evan Lund, who resides in the impacted neighborhood.
Polk County’s director of roads and drainage said during a press conference that a well was recently drilled in the area, and the county believes crews may have pierced an underground layer of rock, causing the earth above to cave in.
Though residents have not been ordered to evacuate, it’s still a cause of concern for some in the community.
“Well, I was just worried about the safety and if the homes around it are safe,” said Patricia Jones, who has family who lives in the area.
This isn’t the first time residents here have dealt with sinkholes. Back in 2006, multiple sinkholes on the lake bottom opened up, which partially drained the lake, damaged nearby homes, and sank a gazebo.
Gutierrez remembers that vividly.
“So, I saw that, but from a distance. So, this is definitely the first time I’ve been up close and personal with one.”
